SOUNDNESS. 429 



Its actiun, and if it does -not press upon any ligament or tendon, it 

 may be no cause of unsoundness, although it is often very un- 

 sightly. In many cases, it may not lessen the ca,pabiUty and value 

 of the animal. This has been treated on at considerable length in 

 page 256.* 



Stringhalt. — This singular and very unpleasant action of the 

 hind-leg is decidedly an unsoundness. It is an irregular commu- 

 nication of nervous energy to some muscle of the thigh, observable 

 when the horse first comes from the stable, and gradually ceasing 

 on exercise. It has usually been accompanied by a more than 

 comimon degree of strength and endurance. It must, however, be 

 traced to some morbid alteration of structure or function ; and 

 it rarely or never fails to deteriorate and gradually wear out the 

 animal. 



Thickening of the Back Sinews. — Sufficient attention is not 

 always paid to the fineness of the legs of the horse. If the flexor 

 tendons have been sprained, so as to produce considerable thick- 

 ening of the cellular substance in which their sheaths are envel- 

 oped, they wiU long afterwards, or perhaps always, be liable to 

 spraLu, from causes by which they would otherwise be scarcely 

 aJSected. The continuance of any considerable thickness around 

 the sheaths of the tendons indicates previous violent sprain. This 

 very thickening will fetter the action of the tendons, and, after 

 much quick work, will occasionally renew the inflammation and 

 the lameness ; therefore, such a horse cannot be sound. It requires, 

 however, a little discrimination to distinguish this from the gum- 

 mincss, or roundness of leg, peculiar to some breeds. There 

 should be an evident difierence between the injured leg and the 

 other.t 



Thoroughpin, except it is of great size, is rarely productive of 

 lameness, and therefore cannot be termed unsoundness ; but as 

 it is the consequence of hard work, and now and then does produce 



* Note by Mr. Spooner. — We do not think the situation of this tumor has 

 as much to do with the existence of lameness as is generally imagined. The 

 lameness is occasioned by the tension of the periosteum, or covering of the 

 bone, which has not had time to accommodate itself to the bony swelling 

 benfath it All splints, therefore, which evince tenderness on being pressed 

 should be considered as unsoundness, and, indeed, all splints on horses un 

 der six years of age should be guarded against by a sufficient warranty 

 though no lameness or tenderness may e£st. In older horses, this precau 

 tion is imnecessary. 



f Note hy Mr. Spooner.^-All enlargements of the sinews or ligaments, un 

 less evidently produced by blows, constitute unsoundness. It is an old but 

 mistaken idea, that the enlargement of sprung sinews, as it is termed, exists 

 in the cellular membrane. It is the substance of the sinews themselves tha*. 

 becomes thickened. 



