Lameness. 1 5 



If a horse be lame in a fore-leg and shows this more on soft 

 than on hard ground, the cause is probably a sprain. If, on the 

 contrary, he goes worse on hard than on soft ground, the cause 

 most likely is some bone disease (splint, ringbone, &c.). 



SPLINTS are bony excrescences only found on the fore-legs 

 below the knees, and unless close to the joint they do not interfere 

 with the action at all ; sometimes they cause lameness at the trot, 

 though not perceptibly so at a walk. In searching for them by 

 rubbing the fingers down from the knee to the fetlock, always 

 have the opposite leg held up, thereby causing extra weight to be 

 thrown on the other, when any inequalities about the bones will 

 be more easily detected. 



In lameness of the hind quarters, the hock is the most likely 

 seat of disease and the hip of that leg is carried somewhat higher 

 than that of the sound side when the lameness arises in the hock 

 or below it. But if the cause be anywhere above the hock, the 

 hip on that side droops, and in watching the horse from behind, 

 it will be ob.served that his body seems to swerve away from 

 that side. 



SPAV'IN, being an excrescence peculiar to the hocks, interferes 

 with the proper action of that joint, causing the hind leg to be 

 somewhat dragged mstead of lifted; this is clearly shown in a 

 week or so by the unusual wear of the shoe at the toe when the 

 disease commences. In slight cases, an occasional tripping of the 

 toe and a kind of vibration in the hock as the toe comes on the 

 ground, with some stiffness of the hock, are the earhest symptoms. 

 As these lessen after a little exercise, let the animal rest till quite 

 cool, then test him again, especially in turning and trotting, when 

 the symptoms will again appear. In confirmed cases, the horse 

 keeps the leg flexed whenever he can. In suspected cases of 

 spavin, first stoop down in front of the horse looking between his 

 fore-legs to compare the two hocks which ought to be of the same 

 size, and see if there be any enlargement on the inside of either 

 of them ; next look from behind the horse for enlargements on 

 the hinder part of the inner side ; lastly, take side views (from 

 both sides) to detect enlargements on the front of the hock. If 

 there be a swelling, and it is doubtful whether it is spavin or the 

 result of a kick or other temporary injury, it is easy to decide the 

 point by feeling it, as a spavin, being composed of bone, is hard, 

 whilst the other sort of swelling would be soft. The difference 

 between bog and bone spavins is given in the Table of Diseases. 



When examining a horse for sprain of the loins and for string- 

 halt, he must be backed and turned sharply, as the defect may 

 not be apparent when he is moving straight ahead. 



