8 DETECTION OF LAMENES8. 



may subsequently '' work sound." Such cases are usually caused 

 by insidious and serious disease in its early stages. 



In the cross-country horse, lameness at its commencement is 

 often evinced by want of customary freedom and boldness in 

 fencing ; in the racehorse, by a slight shortening of stride, un- 

 accustomed inabihty to " act " well on hard ground, by showing 

 an unusual preference for leading with one le<i; (the sound one) 

 rather than with the other, or by changing the leading leg oftener 

 than usual. 



PECULIARITIES OF ACTION.—" Some horses, from bad riding 

 or driving, acquire a sort of ' hitch ' or ' lift ' in their trot " {Per- 

 civall). 



If, when trotting, a sound horse has his head turned towards the 

 man who leads him (on the near, side, for example), going in a sort 

 of " left shoulder in " fashion, he may appear to be lajne on the oflE 

 fore leg, on account of putting an increased amount of weight on 

 the side to which the head is turned. On the same principle, a 

 sound horse may appear lame on the "outside " leg, when trotted 

 in a small circle. 



Some horses, when trotting very fast, appear to go lame behind, 

 by reason of the hind legs not being able to keep time with the fore. 



A horse has been known always to go lame in harness, although 

 quite sound in saddle. Tlie cause was that, on a previous occasion, 

 when working between the shafts, one of his shoulders became 

 galled, and continuing the work for some time in that state, he 

 acquired the habit of bearing against the collar as much as possible 

 with the other shoulder. This harness-lameness, if the term may 

 be used, is not infrequently seen in animals with a sore spot under 

 the bearing surface of the collar. 



Intermittent lameness may be caused by rheumatism, and may 

 also characterise the early stages of navicular disease. 



Lameness improves with exercise, except, as a rule, in cases of 

 splints, sore shins, corns, laminitis, and sprains. 



A horse suffering from navicular disease goes uphill sounder than 

 he goes down ; the reverse is the case in laminitis. 



When an animal is lame behind, the disease is generally in the 

 hock ; when in front, in the feet of cart-horses, and in the ligaments, 

 tendons, or cannon bones 6f those used for fast work. 



When a horse goes lame on a fore leg witliout any perceptible 

 cause, and wears away the toe of the shoe, navicular disease of that 

 foot may be suspected. But if he goes on the heel, the probability 

 is that he has either laminitis or ringbone. If the lameness is 

 behind and the toe becomes worn, it will generally be found that 

 it is due to spavin. 



