HORSES, JACKS, JENNETS, AND MULES 213 



should be observed while walking and trotting. He should 

 be viewed coming toward, passing by, and going from the 

 observer, who should note the movement of the entire body 

 and the use of each limb. It is especially important to 

 observe the head and hips in locating the diseased limb. 

 The front foot is a very common seat of lameness. 



Locating Lameness. — It is usually quite easy for any 

 observer to recognize that an animal is lame, provided the 

 lameness is at all decided, but there are many cases where 

 the lameness is so very slight that it is difficult for an expert 

 to locate it or even be sure that the animal is lame. A very 

 common error is that of locating the lameness on the wrong 

 side. This is easily avoided if it is remembered that the 

 head and weight of the body in general come down most 

 noticeably with the sound limb. For instance, a horse which 

 is lame in the left front leg will drop the head very perceptibly 

 as he lands upon the right front leg. 



Some forms of lameness are detected with great difficulty 

 when the animal is walking, but are easily seen when trotting. 

 It is usually conceded that the latter is the best gait for 

 diagnostic purposes, although the observer should study the 

 movements at both the walk and trot if possible. The 

 animal should be tried on both hard and soft ground, and 

 on the side of a hill. If the lameness is in the foot, it is 

 most marked when the animal travels on hard ground. On 

 the contrary, when a horse is lame in the shoulder, he is 

 apt to travel with great difficulty in deep mud or snow. 



Bony Growths. — Splints, spavins, and ringbones, are simply 

 developments of bony tissue, the result of an inflammation 

 of the periosteum. These are all recognized as forms of 

 unsoundness, and usually cause lameness. This inflamma- 

 tion may have its origin in bruises or other injuries, or possibly 

 the inflammation in this tissue may be the result of an extend- 

 ing inflammation from some adjoining tissue, but in any case 

 the result is usually a projecting development of bony tissue. 



Splints. — These appear as small tumors along the meta- 

 carpal bones, usually at the junction of the large and small 

 metacarpals. They may be of various shapes and sizes. 

 They are generally more serious when located near the knee. 



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