16 Lameness. 



STRAIN'S of the sinews of the leg are very common. In look- 

 ing at anyone of a sound horse's legs from the side, three straight 

 lines are seen between the knee and the fetlock ; the middle line 

 is the suspensory ligament, which is not elastic as the sinew down 

 the back of each leg is. 



If a horse raises his leg freely, but evinces pain as it touches the 

 ground, the suspensory ligament is probably injured. To detect 

 the exact spot injured, have the opposite leg held up (as for 

 splints) to brace the tendons, and then pass the thumb and fore- 

 finger down the suspensory ligaments and back sinews to feel for 

 any swelling. Directly it is touched the horse will unmistakably 

 show signs of pain, and on the other leg being released will take 

 the weights off the injured leg as quickly as possible. 



When the sheath of a tendon, and not the tendon itself, is 

 injured, the swelling is puffy, and on pressing it with the finger 

 the tendon can be clearly felt through it. Also the horse, though 

 lame at first, will go less tender after a little exercise, whereas 

 if the tendon itself were injured the lameness would increase. 

 In all cases of strain or sprain rest is the most essential agent 

 towards cure. 



RHEUMATISM will also cause sudden and complete lameness 

 with local swellings, hot and tender. It is, however, easily dis- 

 tinguishable, as tlie swellings shift from spot to spot and even 

 from one leg to the other, which could not possibly happen in the 

 case of swellings from local injuries. 



TREATMENT for all bony excrescences, such as splint, 

 spavin, curb ringbone, &c., requires professional knowledge ; so a 

 horse suffering from any of them should be sent for three months 

 or so to a veterinary surgeon. But if this be impracticable, buy a 

 pot of Cole's Patent Ossiline, which cured Paradox, winner of the 

 Guineas and Grand Prix in 1885 (price 10s, Orf. in England), and 

 apply it sedulously according to the printed instructions which 

 accompany it. Other causes of lameness may be successfully 

 treated without sending the animal away, as shown further on in 

 this book under the various Diseases and Injuries. 



PREVENTION OF LAMENESS is best effected by leaving a 

 horse unshod. In India few horses, except those in hard work on 

 macadamized roads, really require to be shod, and half the cases 

 of lameness probably are either caused or aggravated by defective 

 shoeing. Of coiirse, if a horse has always been accustomed to have 

 shoes he cannot suddenly dispense with them. But if they be 

 removed, and for two months or so the horse only get walking 

 exercise until by the downward growth of new hoof all the upper 

 naif, marks have entirely disappeared, he will probably work more 

 satisfactorily for the rest of his life than he ever did before, and 



