COMMON UNSOUNDNESSES AND VICES 



181 



and the horse stands bent forward at the knees, is called "goat- 

 knee" "buck-knee," "over-in-the-knees," or "knee-sprung" (Fig. 

 54) . Foals from birth may be knee-sprung, or even unable to stand 

 at all, as a result of contracture in the flexor tendons. Good 

 results have been obtained by the author in these cases by apply- 

 ing extension spHnts to the leg. It may be necessary even to 



Fig. 53.— Calf-knee. 



Fig. 54. — Goat- or buck-knee. 



section the deep flexor tendon in part or completely to get relief, 

 if the contractions are very marked. 



In the hind limbs we may observe the "cow-hocked" position, 

 where the hocks are too close together and turn toward each other, 

 while the feet are widely separated and the toes turn outward (Fig. 

 55) . From the side may be noticed the forward deviation, termed 

 "sabre-leg" or "sickle-hock," in which the hock-joint is flexed 

 too much, the foot placed too far forward under the body, and the 

 pastern too sloping (Fig. 56). 



