DISEASES AND TREATMENT OF THE HORSE 



299 



Fig. 52. — Knuckling. 



12. Knuckling. 



Causes.— It is the result of hard 

 and fast work. Horses that stand 

 straight on the fetlock are more lia- 

 ble to knuckle. 



Symptoms. — There is a jerking 

 forward of the fetlock every time he 

 steps. He stands with his fetlock 

 joint bent forward instead of back. 



Treatment. — If a case of long 

 standing there can be nothing done, 

 but if only coming on blister around 

 the fetlock and turn him out. Blis- 

 ter with: 



Pulverized Cantharides or 



Spanish Fly 2 drams. 



Vaseline or Lard 1 ounce. 



Mix and apply around the fet- 

 lock, rub in well and allow it to 

 remain for three days, then grease, 



allow it to remain for a few weeks and blister again. Repeat 

 the blistering until the joint gets strong. There will be 

 enough in this prescription to blister two fetlocks. 



13. Knuckling in Colts. 



Causes. — A colt that has been kept in the stable with but 

 little or no exercise during the winter is liable to come out in 

 the spring knuckled in the fetlocks. 



Treatment. — Before turning him out to the field, blister 

 about the fetlocks as described in Section 12. In three days 

 grease the parts and turn out to pasture. This usually brings 

 about a cure in a short time. 



14. Interfering, or Striking the Fetlocks. 



This trouble is mostly met with in colts when they are 

 first shod. 



Causes. — It is sometimes caused by shoeing with too 

 heavy a shoe and taking the horse on a long trip before he is 

 used to it. Some horses naturally travel so close behind that 

 they brush the legs together. 



Symptoms. — There is soreness on the inside of the fet- 

 locks and sometimes the hair and skin are knocked off. In 



