STRINGHALT. 107 



somewhat above that joint. He should then give plenty of good hand-rubbin;^, or a 

 little more attention to the grooming generally, or a wider or more comfortable stall, 

 as the circumstances of the case may appear to require. 



STRINGHALT. 



This is a sudden and spasmodic action of some of the muscles of the thigh when 

 the horse is first led from the stable. One or both legs are caught up at every step 

 with great rapidity and violence, so that the fetlock sometimes touches the belly ; but, 

 after the horse has been out a little while, this usually goes oft" and the natural action 

 of the animal returns. In a few cases it does not perfectly disappear after exercise, 

 but the horse continues to be slightly lame. 



Stringhalt is not a perfectly involuntary action of a certain muscle, or a certain set 

 of muscles. The limb is flexed at the command of the will, but it acts to a greater 

 extent and with more violence than the will had prompted. There is an accumula- 

 tion of excitability in the nmscle, and the impulse which should have called it into 

 natural and moderate action causes it to take on a spasmodic and, perhaps, a painful 

 one. 



Many ingenious but contradictory theories liave been advanced in order to account 

 for this peculiarity of gait. What muscles are concerned ] Clearly those by which 

 the thigh is brought under the belly, and the hock is Hexed, and the pasterns are first 

 flexed, and then extended. But by which of them is tlie effect principally produced ] 

 What muscle, or, more properly, what nerve is concerned I Instead of entering 

 into any useless controversy on this point, a case shall be related, and one of the 

 most interesting there is on record : the author was personally cognisant of every 

 particular. 



Guildford, first called Roundhead, and then Landlord, was foaled in 182G. He 

 was got by Hampden out of a Sir Harry Dimsdale mare. In 1828, and being two 

 years old, and the property of the Duke of Richmond, he won a 50/. plate at Good 

 wood. In 18"21}, and belonging to Lord W. Lennox, he won 55 guineas at Hampton. 

 Being then transferred to Mr. Coleman, he won 50 guineas at Guildford ; and in 

 the same year, having been purchased by Mr. Pearce, he won GO guineas at Basing- 

 stoke. 



In the course of this year stringhalt began to appear in a slight degree, and it evi- 

 dently, although slowly, increased. There soon began to be a little difficulty in get- 

 ting him otf ; but when he had once started, neither his speed nor iris stoutness ap- 

 peared to be in the slightest degree impaired. He continued on the turf until ISSG, 

 and won for his different owners seventeen races, the produce of which, exclusive of 

 bets, amounted to 1435/. 



The difficulty and loss of advantage in starting had now increased to a degree 

 which rendered it prudent to withdraw him from the turf, and he came into the pos- 

 session of Dockeray, who used him for the purpose of leadino- the young horses that 

 he had under training. This is well known to be hard work, and his rider was a 

 man of some weight. In addition to this, he was generally hunted twice in the week. 

 His first starting into a gallop had something singular about it. It was a horrible 

 kind of convulsive action, and so violent that he frequently knocked off" his shoes on 

 the very day that they were put on : but when he got a little warmed, all this disap- 

 peared. He gallopped beautifully, and was a very sure fencer. The sport, however, 

 being over, and he returning to a slow pace, the stringhalt was as bad as ever. 



A" length the old horse became artful, and it was with great difficulty that he could 

 be made to lead. Sometimes he refused it altogether. In consequence of this he was 

 sent to St. Martin's Lane, to be sold. The highest bidding for him was 3/. 1 Is., and 

 the hero of the turf and the field was doomed to the omnibus. There he was cruelly 

 used, and this spasmodic convulsion of his hind legs sadly aggravated his torture. 

 The skin was presently rubbed from his shoulders, his hips and haunches were bruised 

 in every part, and his stifles were continually and painfully coming in contact with 

 the pole. 



In this situation he was seen by the veterinary surgeon to " The Society for the Pre- 

 vention of Cruelty to Animals." There is a fund at the disposal of that society for 

 tiie purchase of worn-out horses, who are immediately released from their misery by 



