THE HORSE IN SICKNESS AND DISEASE 431 



hock, are the most affected, thouf^h the fore legs, below 

 the knee, come in the same way to grief from undue 

 exertion. Debility is also the constitutional cause of 

 swelled legs. Some horses are liable to swellings in the 

 limbs in the spring and fall of the year. This can be 

 accounted for by the principal activity of the circulation 

 being employed in preparing a fresh covering of hair at 

 those periods, so that the vital influence in the extremities 

 is somewhat diminished ; and the same cause produces 

 swellings in the legs. 



Frequently, when a horse seems to be affected with no 

 other disease, the hind legs will suddenly swell to a very 

 great extent from the hock to the fetlock, in some instances 

 even from the stifle downwards. This is accompanied by 

 heat and tenderness of the skin, inducing lameness of a 

 peculiar character. A quickened and hard pulse are usual 

 concomitants of this seizure, with a considerable degree of 

 fever. This complaint is acute inflammation of the cellular 

 substance of the limbs, sudden in its attack, and violent in 

 its degree, consequently attended with the secretion of fluid 

 in the cellular tissue. Young horses, and those which are 

 over-fed, with little exercise, are most liable to be thus 

 attacked, and without having had previous inflammation. 



Swelling of the legs is common to horses which are used 

 for hunting and pleasure only. This, it will be seen, arises 

 from irregularity in their habits ; one day having a more 

 than sufficient exercise, and probably standing for days or 

 weeks in a stable, and only walked out or trotted for a 

 short distance. In such cases the limbs should be well 

 hand-rubbed to stimulate the vessels. Bandaging judi- 

 ciously is advisable ; but do not allow the groom to 

 administer diuretics, as he says, to " cool the animal." The 

 remedy is ruinous to the constitution, and aggravates the 

 tendency to " filling." 



The most troublesome, as well as the most frequent 

 swelling in the limbs, is that caused by inactivity, from 

 high feeding, and want of due exercise. One kind is 

 accompanied by local or comparative debility, or loss of 

 power in the part affected. Those horses which are over- 

 fed, without exercise, are liable to swellings in the limbs 

 from the capillary vessels having sent forth an over-supply 

 of fluid to the extremities ; and in consequence of the 

 want of muscular exertion, and the perspiration naturally 



