SIGNS OF LAMENESS. 233 



round a circle, invariably seem lame upon the fore limb nearest 

 the centre of the ring. When the lameness is in both hind 

 limbs, the difficulty of diagnosis is not so great, as the animal 

 is both stiff and lame ; but mere stiffness must be distinguished 

 from lameness, although it is often confounded with it. No 

 doubt a stiff horse is an unsound horse ; but he may be very 

 useful for slow work, and at a suitable price. Mere stiffness 

 may indicate age or fatigue, and often passes away after a little 

 exercise; but lameness is indicative of actual pain or disease, 

 and although it may pas3 off with exercise, still it must not be 

 confounded with stiffness. 



There are some forms of lameness which are apparent in the 

 stable only, the movements caused by bringing the patients 

 out of the stable being sufficient to produce the total disappear- 

 ance of the lameness. Such being the case, the examiner 

 should see the horse in the stable as well as out of it. 



The manifestation of lameness by the animal is shown in 

 two ways : — 1st. During repose ; 2d. During movement. In 

 some cases, the appearance, or expression, is much more pal- 

 pable while the animal is standing still, as in many foot lame- 

 nesses. For example, a horse will continually point, or even 

 elevate, the foot which is suffering pain ; if both feet, each foot 

 alternately will be pointed or elevated. But if he is made to 

 move, the extent of the lameness does not seem equivalent 

 to the amount of pain so expressed. In other cases, the patient 

 will stand perfectly firm, although in the great majority of cases 

 the pastern of the lame limb is more upright than that of the 

 sound one, as if he feared to put as much weight upon it ; but 

 when made to move, he will immediately exhibit the lameness. 

 Again, many cases are seen in practice where the patients come 

 out of the stable sound, but when they have performed some 

 work or exercise, lameness becomes manifest. Others, again, 

 leave the stable very lame, and become freer in their action 

 when they have been warmed with exercise. Such cases are 

 apt to deceive ; therefore the veterinary surgeon should take 

 every precaution against being taken unawares. Some horses 

 exhibit their lameness when they " turn round." They may go 

 weU enough if led straight to or fjom the observer ; but when 

 sharply turned round, they at once manifest their unsoundness ; 

 and when an examiner as to soimdness finds a man turn his 



