FRACTUKES. 527 



SIMPLE FRACTURE OF THE LIMBS. 



The legs are occasionally broken, either in consequence 

 of a blow or a fall, or from the horse getting them hung in 

 some fast place. It matter^ not so much to know what 

 caused the fracture, as it does to understand what to do for 

 it, and how to do it. A broken leg is a serious affair, and 

 needs immediate attention ; while an accurate knowledge of 

 the course proper to be pursued is indispensable. The lack 

 of such knowledge, on the part of the farmers of our coun- 

 try, nearly always consigns the horse to death at once, with- 

 out a single effort having been made to save him. This sad 

 state of affairs proceeds mainly from the unfrequency of these 

 accidents. The very large majority of Americaus have never 

 seen a horse with a broken limb, although accustomed to 

 horses all their lives; and should this casualty befall one of 

 their own stock, at least four-fifths of them would give up 

 the case in utter discouragement, and suffer the animal to 

 be killed 'forthwith. It is a great mistake to suppose that 

 nothing can be done for such a horse. If the proper meas- 

 ures are adopted promptly, he may, generally, be saved. 

 They involve considerable labor, it is true, and draw some- 

 what on the farmer's time and patience ; yet this is a much 

 greater bugbear with most than there is any reason for; and 

 even were the trouble as much as is imagined, we know of 

 no more profitable way of spending the same amount of 

 time. 



In simple fracture of the leg there is but one bone broken, 

 and there is no displacement. The horse is, commonly, able 

 to walk about, but is terribly lame, of course. The treat- 

 ment of such' a case is not difi&cult. The leg should be 

 bandaged with strong strips of starched cloth. Pads of 

 cotton should be laid upon the leg, at the point of fracture, 

 and the bandages wound over them. In most instances of 

 simple fracture, the horse does not, at first, get down at all, 

 but remains standing upon his three feet for several days. 

 Ultimately he becomes so wearied, however, that he will lie 



