112 



MODERN HORSE MANAGEMENT 



[chap. 



bottom. If on account of its position the wound 

 will not drain itself perfectly, drainage must be 

 obtained by making an incision at the lowest 

 part of the wound and keeping a seton in until 

 the wound appears quite healthy. Wounds that 

 will not heal, but which become hard, can be 

 assisted by placing crystals of copper sulphate in 

 the wound. This irritates the surfaces and 

 causes increased blood supply and new tissue to 

 be formed. Give horse laxative food and diure- 

 tics, and in bad cases a purgative. 



446. Contusions and Bruises. — A bruise is a 

 contusion on the surface, so the term contusion 

 includes a bruise. It is an injury to the tissue 

 due to a mechanical blow, prolonged pressure, 

 etc., to that part. There is always a rupture of 

 the capillaries, so that there will be blood pre- 

 sent round the damaged tissue. The tissue may 

 be slightly or severely injured. 



Treatment. — Remove cause and effect absorp- 

 tion of the effusion by applying stimulants to the 

 parts or as near to the parts as possible. Give 

 vigorous massaging. If the contusion is deep 

 and the horse is not required, and manual labour 

 is expensive, blistering over the part should be 

 resorted to. 



447. Brushing. — Consists in the horse knock- 

 ing the inside of the fetlock, coronet, or possibly 

 wall of the hoof of one leg with the inner border 

 or possibly the clenches of the shoe of the other 

 foot. 



Cause. — Outer portion of foot too high causing 

 fetlock to incline inwards, weakness, bad con- 

 formation, fatigue, bad shoeing. Horse may 

 brush himself if his legs itch from any disease 

 or presence of parasites while scratching his legs 

 together. A horse that turns his toes out in 

 action is liable to brush. 



Symptoms. — The part may be only brushed. 

 A lump or perhaps an open wound may be 

 formed on the inside of the fetlock or coronet, or 

 there may be a cut on the wall. There may be 

 heat and considerable swelling and even an 

 abscess. 



Treatment. — Remove cause. Shoe with 

 feather-edged shoe {see P. 139) on the inside of 

 the foot that does the damage ; and shoe low on 

 the outside of the other foot, keeping the outer 

 wall well pared away. If bruised, foment and 

 treat antiseptically. If there is an abscess or a 

 wound, treat accordingly. Give laxative food. 

 In future use a Yorkshire boot (P. 22^). This 

 is made with a piece of flannel about 8 inches in 

 width, and long enough to go twice around the 

 leg, and doubled over after being secured with a 

 tape as shown. Special leather brushing boots 

 can be procured on the market. 



448. Speedy Cut. — Consists in the horse brush- 

 ing himself on the inside of the knee or hock. 

 More common in foreleg. The seat of injury is 

 at the bottom part of knee-joint. The causes and 

 symptoms are similar to those of brushing. 



Knock-kneed horses, and those who turn their 

 toes out, are subject to it. More often caused at 

 the gallop after horse has become tired. Severe 

 blows are liable to cause an abscess, which 

 must be treated. A speedy cut boot should be 

 worn afterwards, which must come down well 

 over the knees. Give laxative diet, and if an 

 abscess, give purgative. Shoe as for brushing. 



449. Over-reach. — Consists of an injury made 

 by the toe of the hindfoot striking the bulb of 

 the heel, the fetlock or the back tendon of the 

 forefoot. Generally done to the leading leg at 

 the canter or gallop, by the hindleg on the same 

 side. Practically never done at the walk, pace, 

 or amble. The cause is generally due to the 

 forefoot not being removed quickly enough, as 

 when it becomes temporarily stuck in sticky 

 ground. Or it may occur on slippery ground or 

 from weakness or fatigue. A horse that is 

 allowed to go along in a slovenly way may over- 

 reach himself. 



Symptoms. — Bruise or wound on the part that 

 is struck or rubbed. 



Treatment. — Remove cause and make horse 

 carry himself better by proper schooling under 

 competent hands. Heavy shoes, by increasing 

 the action, will generally do good. It may be 

 necessary to use over-reaching boots to cover fet- 

 lock, back tendons, or bulb of the heel. These 

 are made of leather or rubber. Treat any wound 

 as for brushing. (Sec. 447.) 



450. Broken Knees. — These are the result of a 

 horse being allowed to fall down on to his knees. 

 May be simple, that is not affecting the joint ; in 

 which case treat antiseptically. Every precau- 

 tion must be taken to avoid the damage spread- 

 ing towards the joints. Therefore hot fomenta- 

 tions, except to clean the wound in the first place 

 and remove all irritating grit (which is absolutely 

 necessary), and poultices are absolutely for- 

 bidden, as they tend to soften the part and lessen 

 vitality. 



451. Open Joints. — If the knee is so damaged 

 that the synovial membrane of joint proper is cut 

 there will be an " open joint," which is, as a rule, 

 a most serious injury. The cure for open joints, 

 if in the knee, hock or fetlock, is the same. 



Symptoms. — Synovia will run out (in a closed 

 joint a few synovial sacs may be ruptured, allow- 

 ing a little synovia to escape), and later there will 

 be heat, swelling and pain ; blood and pus will 

 run out. High fever will be present. If the top 

 synovial sac of the knee is affected it is much 

 less serious than if the middle or lower sac is 

 opened. The lower is the most serious, because 

 this will drain the middle sac as well. In the 

 hock the most serious is the true hock joint or 

 upper sac. 



Treatment.— Reduce fever in horse and give 

 laxative food. If fever is very slight give mild 

 purgative. The success in treatment depends on 

 keeping the synovial cavity absolutely aseptic 



