498 



SPEAIN OF THE FLEXOB TENDONS. 



In other cases a sprain occurs at 

 the top of the fetlock, or at the 

 locality indicated by the letter e ; or 

 it may occur to any part of the ten- 

 dons proper between a and e. The 

 symptoms in every case, however — 

 whether the sprain occurs in one part 

 of the tendons or another, are 

 of a very similar character — 

 viz. : stepping upon the toe ; 

 heat, swelliDg, and tenderness 

 of the tissues injured,and slight 

 improvement in the gait of the 

 animal with exercise. 



Treatment. — The 

 best remedies and 

 modes of treatment, 

 in general, are — Ar- 

 nica, Aconite, Cold 

 "Water Bandages, a 

 High Heeled Shoe, 

 Blisters, and Firing. 

 High Heeled 

 Shoe. — As soon as 

 the injury is disco- 

 vered, place a high- 

 heeled shoe upon the 

 foot of the affected 

 limb. The shoe alone 

 will be more than 

 half the cure. It 



Fig. 28. 



a The flexor tendous are partly drawn away 

 from the limb, to more clearly show the meta- 

 carpal ligament h. The uses of this ligament 

 are to support and give strength to the flexor 

 tendons. It arises in the fore limbs, just under 

 the knee, and terminates as shown above. 



c The suspensory ligament ; it is this liga- 

 ment which is ruptured when the horse (what is 

 called) " breaks down." 



e The top of the fetlock joint— a part which 

 is extremely liable to be sprained 



