or for long journeys, seldom or never do so, when worked less severely, or 

 when intervals are allowed, in which the muscles may recover themselves. 

 Every time a muscle contracts, there is waste ; and, when the tissue is in a 

 weak condition, it cannot so readily repair the loss. Necessarily any animal 

 is more liable to a sprain if he treads accidentally on uneven ground, or 

 comes upon a very hard or irregular surface, after taking a fence. 

 feg'"',^: As we stated above, the suspensory band may be slightly or severely 

 sprained, or it may be ruptured, and these injuries may affect one or both 

 sides of the ligament. The lameness occasioned is proportional to the 

 degree of the injury, but is always very great in severe sprains. If the 

 ligament be quite ruptured, there is a complete break down, and the toe 

 turns up. Heat and tumefaction follow the injury. Should rupture of the 

 ligament involve one branch only, the resulting injury of the fetlock is not 

 so marked. 



We have seen many instances of sprain of the check ligament, which 

 have generally been confined to cart horses ; but, of course, sprain of this 

 ligament may occur in any horse, if he tread suddenly on a stone, or on any 

 uneven surface. This ligament is more liable to sprain in ascending a hill, 

 especially when drawing a heavy weight up a steep incline. When the check 

 ligament is injured, swelling of the tissues is occasioned at the back part of 

 the leg, between the knee and the fetlock. Heat, pain, and great lameness 

 are additional symptoms of this accident, although, when the injury to the 

 ligament is slight, the progression may be but little impeded or altered. The 

 inflammatory action in these sprains is not uncommonly very marked, and 

 may leave permanent thickening, at the point where the check ligament joins 

 the tendon. In very slight cases of sprain of the check ligament, all that 

 one can observe is fulness at the back of the leg, below the knee, attended 

 with heat and tenderness. Lameness may be present, but in such cases it is 

 rarely severe. When the tendons at the back of the fetlock are sprained,, 

 there are pain, heat, swelling, and lameness, which will vary in degree. 

 The treatment of these sprains is that which we have already described, but 

 we may add a few necessary details concerning sprain of the suspensory 

 ligament. After this accident, our object is to promote union of the severed 

 fibres of the ligament. Absolute rest is the first essential. The hollow of 

 the heel should be well padded up with lint or tow, which must be retained 

 there by the application of a bandage, carefully and tightly wound around 

 the injured member. Around this, another bandage may be applied, so as to 

 support the limb still more firmly. The opium and arnica lotion may be 

 applied as a fomentation, and will prove serviceable in assuaging the pain,, 

 and diminishing the inflammatory action. 



Sprain of the suspensory ligament is always a serious injury. With 

 very careful management, however, and prolonged rest, the animal not 

 unfrequently is enabled to do moderate work. This injury almost 

 invariably leaves some mark of its presence ; and it must be considered an 

 unsoundness, because, if the work happen to be at all severe, or there be any- 

 unusual strain, great lameness is soon developed. 



