106 



MODERN HORSE MANAGEMENT 



[chap. 



ful triceps, extensor brachii, or caput muscles) 

 are very commonly sprained in a slip. Rest and 

 massage are the only cure. 



If the lameness is in the shoulder, pain will 

 probably be evinced when one presses the 

 muscles. The limb is not moved normally, but 

 swung outwards, and the toe dragged. If the 

 lameness is persistent, the muscles affected will 

 waste (atrophy). {See P. 78c and 82.) 



If the lameness is above the hock, it may be 

 in the stifle joint, hip joint or muscles of the 

 thigh. If the patella (or kneecap) is out of 

 place, it can be felt, and the horse, in going 

 forward, will drag his leg behind him. A 

 common seat of lameness (known as gonitis) is 

 that of the synovial membrane of the femur- 

 patella joint. This membrane extends about 

 three inches above the anterior surface of the 

 femur under the extensor (crural) muscles of the 

 thigh (the rectus femoris and internal and ex- 

 ternal vastus muscles). The seat of lameness is 

 difficult to get at. If the lameness is in the 

 stifle, heat may be detected, and the manner in 

 which the horse moves his leg will be abnormal. 



If the extensor thigh muscles are affected, he 

 will drag his leg; if the flexor thigh muscles 

 (those around the region of the buttocks and 

 over the hindquarters), he will drag his leg 

 when backed and show pain when called upon 

 to draw a load. The gluteal muscles are the 

 chief ones used in propelling. [See P. ISc.) If 

 the abductor muscles, which draw the leg out- 

 wards, or the adductor muscles, which draw the 

 leg inward, are affected, the horse will show it 

 if passaged to the one side or the other. (For 

 the treatment of sprains, see Sec. 421 et seqq.) 



If the lameness is not due to a sprain of 

 muscles, tendon or ligament, it is either due to 

 a bony growth or to rheumatism. {See Sec. 583.) 

 If the rheumatism in a joint is bad, the liga- 

 ments will become seriously inflamed, and stiff- 

 ness will probably result. Chronic rheumatism 

 of a muscle may cause atrophy. 



417. Surgical Ailments. — Sprain of Suspen- 

 sory Ligament. — This ligament has its origin in 

 the lower row of knee or hock bones and head 

 of cannon bone (posteriorly), passes down be- 

 tween splint bones, bifurcates above the fetlock 

 joint, is attached to the outer surface of sesa- 

 moid bones, is then directed downwards and 

 forwards across the outer borders of the pastern 

 bone, and blends with the extensor pedis tendon, 

 forming the broad ligament. (See P. 100, 101.) 

 It is composed of white, fibrous, inelastic tissue. 

 It is the most important ligament in the body, 

 as it bears the greater part of the weight borne 

 by the limb. The more horizontal the pastern 

 is the greater will be the strain on this ligament. 



Normally, the ligament can be seen as a 

 distinct ridge, separated from the cannon and 

 the back tendons. {See P. 96a.) This ridge 

 commences just above the fetlock joints, and 



extends two-thirds of the way up the cannon. 

 It should feel hard and firm, like a bass violin 

 string. When sprained, it will not stand out 

 clearly, and will feel soft. {See P. 97^.) The 

 pastern will be straighter than usual, the knee 

 shaky and perhaps a little " over," fetlocks round 

 and puffy. Heat will be present, and some 

 swelling. The horse will go lame at the trot, and 

 possibly at the walk, and if very bad, will go on 

 his toe. If the ligament is ruptured (known as 

 a breakdown), the fetlock will nearly reach the 

 ground. 



The suspensory ligaments of the forelegs are 

 generally sprained while the horse is galloping ; 

 his flexor muscles having become fatigued, are 

 thereby unable quickly enough to take some of 

 the weight off the suspensory ligament. This 

 weight is greatest when the foreleg is under the 

 body supporting almost the entire weight, as the 

 opposite foreleg is being drawn forward. In 

 draught horses the ligament of the hindleg is 

 generally sprained, a common cause being that 

 of allowing a horse to take a heavy load in a two- 

 wheeled cart down a steep hill. Horses may 

 sprain any of their suspensory ligaments while 

 getting up from a slippery floor or by walking on 

 icy pavements. (For treatment, see Sec. 431.) 



418. Sprain of Fetlock Joint. — Usually due to 

 concussion, hard work, or to a twist. If from 

 concussion, the back tendons will generally not 

 be affected, and there will be a puffed appearance 

 due to distension of synovial bursae. In a twist 

 the binding ligaments of a joint will be injured. 

 The horse may go lame ; the chief symptoms are 

 heat and swelling. Fetlock joints " knuckle 

 over," and in young horses are due to weakness, 

 and in old horses to sprain of the lateral liga- 

 ments of the fetlock joint. (For treatment, see 

 Sec. 421.) 



419. Sprain of the Back Tendons. — The two 

 back tendons of all four legs are called the per- 

 forans and perforatus. {See P. 101.) The flexor 

 pedis perforans tendon originates in the forelegs 

 on the inner border of the lower ends of the 

 humerus, and in the hindlegs on the back of the 

 upper end of the tibia, passes behind the knee 

 or hock, down behind the suspensory ligament, 

 is joined by the upper check ligament, and 

 inserts itself at the upper border of the back of 

 the pedal bone. 



It flexes the fetlock, the pastern and coffin 

 joints, and, in the foreleg, the knee, but in the 

 hind it extends the hock. 



The flexor pedis perforatus originates in the 

 foreleg at the point of origin of the perforans, 

 and in the hindleg at the lower end of the femur 

 and at the point of origin of the perforans, ex- 

 tends down behind the knee or over the point of 

 the hock (called here the tendon of Achilles in 

 the hindleg), passes down behind the perforans, 

 and is perforated by the perforans just behind 

 the fetlock, and is inserted at the back of the 



