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or for long journeys, seldom or never do so, when worked less severely, or 
when intervals are allowed, in which the muscles may recover themselves. 
Every time a muscle contracts, there is waste; and, when the tissue is ina 
weak condition, it cannot so readily repair the loss. Necessarily any animal 
is more liable to a sprain if he treads accidentally on uneven ground, or 
comes upon a very hard or irregular surface, after taking a fence. 
As we stated above, the suspensory band may be slightly or severely 
sprained, or it may be ruptured, and these injuries may affect one or both’ 
sides of the ligament. The lameness occasioned is proportional to the 
degree of the injury, but is always very great in severe sprains.. If the 
ligament be quite ruptured, there is a complete break down, and the toe 
turns up. Heat and tumefaction follow the injury. Should rupture of the 
ligament involve one branch only, the resulting injury of the fetlock is not 
so marked. 
We have seen many instances of sprain of the check ligament, which 
have generally been confined to cart horses; but, of course, sprain of this 
ligament may occur in any horse, if he tread suddenly on a stone, or on any 
uneven surface. This ligament is more liable to sprain in ascending a hill, 
especially when drawing a heavy weight up a steep incline. When the check 
ligament is injured, swelling of the tissues is occasioned at the back part of 
the leg, between the knee and the fetlock. Heat, pain, and great lameness 
are additional symptoms of this accident, although, when the injury to the 
ligament is slight, the progression may be but little impeded or altered. The 
inflammatory action in these sprains is not uncommonly very marked, and 
may leave permanent thickening, at the point where the check ligament joins 
the tendon. In very slight cases of sprain of the check ligament, all that 
one can observe is fulness at the back of the leg, below the knee, attended 
with heat and tenderness. Lameness may be present, but in such cases it is 
rarely severe. When the tendons at the back of the fetlock are sprained; 
there are pain, heat, swelling, and lameness, which will vary in degree. 
The treatment of these sprains is that which we have already described, but 
we may add a few necessary details concerning sprain of the suspensory 
ligament. After this accident, our object is to promote union of the severed 
fibres of the ligament. Absolute rest is the first essential. The hollow of 
the heel should be well padded up with lint or tow, which must be retained 
there by the application of a bandage, carefully and tightly wound around 
the injured member. Around this, another bandage may be applied, so as to 
support the limb still more firmly. The opium and arnica lotion may be 
applied as a fomentation, and will prove serviceable in assuaging the pain, 
and diminishing the inflammatory action, 
Sprain of the suspensory ligament is always a serious injury. With 
very careful management, however, and prolonged rest, the animal not 
unfrequently is enabled to do moderate work. This injury almost 
invariably leaves some mark of its presence ; and it must be considered an 
unsoundness, because, if the work happen to be at all severe, or there be any 
unusual strain, great lameness is soon developed. 
