4 DETECTION OF LAMENESS. 



the toe only touches the ground; the whole limb semi-pendulous, 

 owing to the inability of the muscles to elevate and bring it forward 

 without pain" (Williams). 



In acute laminitis, when the disease is in the fore feet, the horse 

 advances them, so as to relieve their toes of pressure, and to throw 

 the weight of the body on the hind limbs. When in the hind feet, 

 he draws back his sore feet, and advances his hind feet with a' 

 similar object. 



Animals affected with navicular disease, often acquire the habit 

 of lying down a great deal in their stalls. 



SUITABILITY OF THE TROT AS A PACE AT WHICH TO 

 DETECT LAMENESS. — In the walk, slow trot, and amble, each 

 fore and hind limb bears- normally the same weight as its respective 

 fellow ; but in the canter and gallop more weight is thrown on the 

 leading fore and the opposite hind leg, than on their respective 

 fellows. Hence, a just comparison ^between the respective actions 

 of the two fore or the two hind legs can be easier made at the 

 walk, slow trot, or amble, than at the canter or gallop. The amble 

 is an artificial pace which few horses will adopt without special 

 training, so need not be considered here. The trot is generally more 

 suitable for detecting lameness than the walk ; for it is a diagonal 

 two-time pace (near fore and off hind, and off fore and near hind) ; 

 the walk being one of four time. When the lame leg touches the 

 ground at the walk, it has the support of two other legs ; but only 

 of one other leg (its diagonal fellow) at the trot ; consequently 

 more weight falls on the lame leg at the latter pace than at the 

 former. When trotting a horse which is lame in a fore or hind 

 leg, he will favour the unsound limb at the expense of its sound 

 diagonal fellow. If lame in the near hind, he will put more 

 weiglit on the off fore than on the near fore, and will, consequently, 

 appear to be also lame on the near fore. The reverse of this, but 

 to a less extent, will occur when the lameness is in front. Cases 

 of so-called " cross lameness " are more apparent when the lameness 

 is behind than when it is in front, because the fore limbs exhibit 

 lameness in a more easily discernible manner than the hind ones. 

 An inexperienced observer frequently imagines that a horse which 

 is lame behind, is lame in front ; but he would not fall into this 

 mistake, if he compared the respective action of both pairs of limbs. 

 As a i-ule the slow trot is a much better pace for observing lame- 

 ness than the fast trot, because the slower the pace, the more time 

 we have to note any difference of gait. Also, the faster the trot, 

 the more inclined is it to depart from its normal two time. If we 

 refer to the admirable photographic reproductions in Muybridge's 



