NAY1CULAH-JOINT LAMENESS. 



779 



ites, that are perhaps worked irregularly, that are most subject to 

 this lameness, the importance of being able to treat it successfully 

 when it arises, can be seen; and the treatment, too, is so simple, 

 and easily applied, during its early or acute stage, that it cer- 

 tainly cannot be difficult or impossible, by the directions hereafter 

 given, for any one to apply it. On this account I have made a special 

 effort not only to make the treatment of this difficulty so full and 

 comprehensive that such 

 cases when they arise may be 

 easily understood and attend- 

 ed to promptly, but to add 

 such explanations and illus- 

 trations from the best author- 

 ities, as will show the serious 

 effect that may follow when 

 neglected or not treated prop- 

 erly. In reference to this, a 

 very able author says: 



" This is a strain that does 

 more mischief than any other, 

 and entirely from the circum- 

 stance of its producing scarce- 

 ly any lameness in the walk. 

 A horse, therefore, when 

 strained in the coffin-joint, 

 and having no lameness, or scarcely any. in the walk, is usually 

 put to work, or what is nearly as bad, is turned to grass with- 

 out any regard to the situation, where he is often liable to be 

 driven about. If, instead of this, it were treated like other strains 

 whose symptoms are more apparent, and which produce a greater 

 degree of lameness, it would soon get well, and with greater cer- 

 tainty than a strain in the back sinews. But as it is a strain in 

 the coffin-joint, it is the most intractable kind of lameness we meet 

 with, because it is nearly always neglected at its first occasion." 



Symptoms. It sometimes occurs in an instant, as by a horse 

 stepping on a round stone, running in the field, etc., when he may 

 at once be quite lame ; at other times its progress is slow. Some 

 peculiar formations of the foot are more subject to it than others. 

 When the result of sudden strain, there will be considerable heat 

 in the back part of the foot, with well-marked lameness. When 

 it comes on gradually, a slight tenderness is observed, particularly 

 at starting, which goes off with exercise. This gradually increases ; 



FIG. 687. As the horse usually rests his 

 toe upon the ground. 



