782 



DISEASES AND THEIE TEEATMENT. 



or com at the inner heel, or at any part of the sole, which will be 

 noticeable by being red and sensitive to light tappings of the ham- 

 mer, or to squeezing of the pinchers. It is always best to make 

 the most thorough and careful examination, so as to give assur- 

 ance of being able to point with more certainty to the difficulty 

 under consideration. Pressure with the thumb over the middle of 

 the flexor tendon, on its inner side or its outer, as deeply as can 



be reached in the hollow of the heel, 

 the foot being bent back, causes pain; 

 or catching the foot in one hand and 

 the ankle in the other, and while twist- 

 ing a little, pressing against the tendon 

 will cause considerable flinching. Tap- 

 ping lightly upon the bar or sole, on 

 each side of the frog, will cause flinch- 

 ing. Next, if the horse is taken by the 

 head and turned short around, he will 

 show increased lameness. 



Upon an examination of these cases 

 by the owner or horse-doctor, if no 

 cause of trouble is discovered in the foot, 

 the lameness is supposed to be in the 

 shoulder. Now there is no lameness that 

 reveals itself more plainly than shoulder 

 lameness; because when the muscles of 

 the shoulder or arm are strained or in- 

 jured, the mobility is so seriously im- 

 paired that the limb is lifted and brought 

 forward with a sort of dragging motion. 

 It is easy to see if a man were to inj ure his shoulder or arm, that 

 with the greatest cflbrt he would be scarcely able to lift it to put on 

 his coat. But were the trouble in his hand, or below the elbow, he 

 could do it without the least difficulty. The effect is the same 

 upon the horse. By moving him back and forward, if the trouble 

 is in the foot, or below the knee, the foot will be raised and car- 

 ried forward naturally, but put down tenderly, as if trying to 

 protect it from the force of concussion ; whereas, if in the shoulder, 

 as explained, the mobility of the limb is greatly unpaired, which 

 is shown by the difficulty with which it is raised and brought 

 forward. 



Fig. 690.— Posterior view of 

 bones of the foot. 



