SECTION XII. 



LAMENESS FROM VARIOUS CAUSES. 



Curbs — Elbow Tumor — Capped Hock — Varix, or Boo Spavin — Atrophy, oi 

 Wasting of Muscles — Thorough-pin — Navicular Disease, or Lameness — 

 Pleuro-dynia — Acute Rheumatism — Chronic Rheumatism — Ring-bone — 

 Splint — Spavin — Osteo Porosis — Curvature of the Spine — Hoof-bound — 

 Laminitis — Sandcrack — Quarter Crack — Navicular Thritis — Stifle Out 

 — Contraction of the Hoof — Bowed Legs — Corns — Lameness. 



Curbs. 



CURB consists of sprain of the posterior ligament of the hock, 

 known as the calcaneo-cuboid ligament. It is thus named 

 in consequence of being inserted into the oscalcis and cuboid bones. 

 The tumefaction is usually confined to the skin and subcellular 

 tissue. At first the part is hot and painful, and the animal is 

 lame — does not flex the hock in a natural manner; yet, when 

 standing still, the horse keeps the lower part of the limb flexed, 

 so as to relieve the overstrained tendon. The liability or predis- 

 position to the disease lurks in breed. Such horses are observed 

 to have ill-shaped hocks. Such have been denominated "cow- 

 hocks." The parts are not symmetrical. There is an obvious 

 disproportion between the width of the parts above and below the 

 hock, which gives it an angular appearance ; and the more angu- 

 larity there is, the more liability is there to sprain, because there 

 w too much tension on the calcaneo-cuboid ligament. 



Causes. — The exciting causes of curb are sprain, occurring in 

 the act of backing a heavy load, or in leaping; in short the per- 

 formance of any feat that violently calls into play the flexor 

 muscles and tendons of the hind extremities; hence stallions with 

 faulty hocks, when used for procreation, are very apt to become 

 the subject of curb. 



(319) 



