8 DETECTION OF LAMENESS. 



At this stage of the examination, if no lameness be discovered, 

 we should send the horse a strong gallop (say, for a mile), a fast 

 four or five miles' trot in harness, or an equivalent pull in heavy 

 draught, according to the class of animal; then put him into a 

 stall, allow him to stand at least half an hour, so that he may 

 thoroughly cool down, and try him again at trotting as before. If 

 he passes satisfactorily through this second ordeal, we may justly 

 regard him to b© sound in limb. 



Certain obscure cases of lameness can be detected only during 

 the first few steps the animal takes on quitting his stable; for he 

 may subsequently " work sound." Such cases are usually caused 

 by insidious and serious disease in its early stages. 



Lameness at its first commencement, in the 'cross-country horse, 

 is often evinced by want of customary freedom and boldness in 

 fencing; and in the racehorse, by a slight shortening of stride; 

 by unaccustomed inability to " act " well on hard ground ; by 

 showing an unusual preference for leading with one leg (the sound 

 one) rather than with the other; or by changing the leading leg 

 oftener than usual. 



PECULIARITIES OF ACTION.—" Some horses, from bad riding 

 or driving, acquire a sort of ' hitch ' or ' lift ' in their trot " (Per- 

 civall). 



If a sound horse, when trotting, has his head turned towards the 

 man who leads him (on the near side, for example), going in a sort 

 of " left shoulder in " fashion, he may appear, as already remarked, 

 to be lame on the off fore leg, on account of putting an increased 

 amount of weight on the side to which the head is turned. On the 

 same principle, a sound horse may appear to be lame on the " out- 

 side " leg when trotted on a small circle. 



Some horses, when trotting very fast, appear to go lame behind, 

 by reason of the hind legs not being able to keep time with the fore. 



I have known a horse always to go lame in harness, although he 

 went quite sound in saddle ; the cause being that on a previous 

 occasion, when working between the shafts, one of his shoulders 

 became galled, and continuing the work for some time in that state, 

 he acquired the habit of bearing against the collar as much as pos- 

 sible wdth the other shoulder. This harness-lameness, if I may 

 use the term, is not unfrequently seen in animals which have 

 a sore spot under the bearing surface of the collar. 



Intermittent lameness may be caused by rheumatism, and may 

 also characterise the early stages of navicular disease. 



Lameness inijiraves with exercise, except, as a rule, in cases of 

 splints, sore shins, corns, laminitis, and sprains. 



