204 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



being allowed to rush out of a narrow stable door, 

 crashing the bone against the posts, usually unite 

 without the aid of surgical treatment. Nevertheless, it 

 is a great eyesore as the head of the bone becomes 

 retracted, and the horse's frame will present an uneven- 

 ness termed by horsemen hipped. I have seen one 

 first-class hipped hunter, but usually there is an evident 

 weakness in the action. Dislocation of the patella 

 sometimes occurs, and is marked by the horse throwing 

 upwards and outwards the hind leg with a sort of sweep 

 when turning over in the stable, as if the limb did not 

 belong to him and was not under his control. No 

 treatment is of any use, since it recurs so frequently 

 after being properly rej3laced. 



WOUNDS OF THE FOOT. 



These are generally brought about by pricks in 

 shoeing, through the nails being improperly directed ; 

 or by treading, when the sole has been recently thinned 

 down, on some sharp substance, as a sharp oak-stub, an 

 iron spike, nail, glass bottles, &c. If the frog be 

 punctured, it will not be of so much importance, and 

 must be treated by the foreign substance being removed 

 carefully, and a pledget of tow smeared in tar inserted. 

 Also if the lamina or sides of the foot are wounded, 

 either by prick in shoeing, or in any other manner, a 

 reduction of inflammation, and removal of the cause, 

 will soon brins: about a cure. 



