486 LAMENESS. CURB WHAT, AND [BOOK III. 



time has been allowed to unite the bone, the heat 

 and enlargement increase, and the spavin is incur- 

 able, but the lameness is lessened. 



Cure. — At the commencement only it may be 

 effected easily, by simply blistering the part all 

 round the hough, in such a manner as to raise the 

 blister to a good extent. Generally, in bad cases 

 it would be advisable to repeat the blister ; in 

 which event let the former one be first well 

 cleansed away with Goulard's extract, diluted with 

 water. But should the duration of lameness and 

 degree of swelling give reason for apprehending 

 that the adhesion is uncommonly extensive, let the 

 part be fired previously to blistering. Be careful 

 to keep the horse's head up whilst the blister is 

 operating, and subsequently dress with hog's lard ; 

 but do not use any greasy applications previously 

 to blistering, as these only tend to harden the skin, 

 and so obstruct the perspiration and absorption 

 which promote the cure. 



Making the shoe thin on the outside at the heel, 

 relieves the pressure when the horse is worked ; the 

 contrary form of shoe is conducive to all diseases 

 of the leg bones. 



7. Curb. 



Cause. — Inflammation in the sheath of the flexor 

 tendon (6, fig. 1, plate 2), a little below the point 

 of the hock, where the sheath is attached to the 

 muscle. Like spavin, curb mostly affects young 

 horses of the cat-hammed built, whose legs stand 



