242 The Care of Animals 



the part, are of assistance in curing the lameness and 

 removing the enlargement. Should this treatment fail, 

 firing with a fine puncturing- iron must be resorted to. 



KNEE -SPRUNG 



This is most frequent in aged horses that have 

 been subject to severe work, especially upon the road. 

 It is a condition in which the knees are bent or sprung 

 slightly forward, owing to a contraction of the tendons 

 which pass down the back of the leg. It may occur 

 in young horses as a deformity or as the result of an 

 injury. When the trouble is very slight it can some- 

 times be remedied by using a thin heel -shoe, and em- 

 ploying hand -rubbing with a mild liniment to the back 

 tendons. Well-marked or chronic cases will require the 

 cutting of one or both of the back tendons. This 

 operation should be performed only by a skilled 

 surgeon. 



BREAKING -DOWN 



In horses that are used for racing or are otherwise 

 subjected to severe exertion, the ligaments which pass 

 down over the fetlock-joints become ruptured, allowing 

 the joints to fall nearly to the ground as the horse 

 puts his weight upon them. If the rupture is severe 

 there is little hope of recovery, although the animal 

 can often get about fairly well and can be used for 

 breeding purposes. When the rupture of the ligaments 

 is slight, rest, a light blister to the part and a brace 

 attached to the shoe, will often enable the ruptured 



