PART I. 



H0R5E5. 



SPRAINS IN GENERAL. 



SOME structures of the horse are elastic, whilst others of 

 them are almost incapable of being strained. The 

 majority of the ligaments and the tendons are not elastic ; 

 they are of a definite and fixed length, and, if made to stretch 

 beyond their length, some of their fibres become ruptured and 

 they give way in part ; this is one reason of sprain. All the 

 time the power is exerted in the direction it was intended to take, 

 the strength of a tendon is incalculable and marvellous. When 

 a horse leaps over a fence, as he lands there is a second of time 

 when all the weight of both himself and his rider has to be 

 borne on one leg. 



During this time there is probably something like a ton 

 weight on two of the principal ligaments and the tendons, 

 allowing of course for the impetus and drop on the far side of 

 the jump. 



This may be repeated many times in a day without injury, 

 but let the horse hesitate, or land with a twist, or on a stump 

 that gives a turn to his leg, and the most disastrous strain 

 may result. 



The explanation is this — the tendon, or ligament, which by 

 its office resembles a tendon, is composed of hundreds of distinct 



