786 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



The irregular surface at Fig. 201, which is a section of 

 South African veldt, is more likely to cause a horse to 

 stumble than if the place were covered with large loose 

 boulders. In fact, it is astonishing when a horse gets on 

 to this latter ground how admirably he conducts himself. 



/,, 



Fig. 201. 



It is usual for a rider to say in explanation of his horse 

 falling that the animal ' crossed its legs,' and for an owner 

 to say that the rider ' threw the horse down ' ; in our 

 experience both these statements are absurdities. 



OVER-EEACHING AND FORGING. 



Horses which are short in the back, especially if they 

 possess anything like hock action, are liable to 'over-reach.' 

 So long as the injury is confined to the heel of the foot no 

 serious harm arises, but when the back of the fetlock is 

 struck, as it may be during a gallop, the flexor tendons 

 may be cut, and severe, perhaps fatal, synovitis of the fetlock 

 joint ensue. 



The horse that inflicts this injury on himself is generally 

 one that is known to 'forge.' Forging generally occurs at a 

 trot, though it may happen at a walk. So long as forging 

 is limited to the toe of the hind shoe striking the toe of the 

 fore shoe no harm arises, though the noise is very irritating ; 

 but when the blow is inflicted on the soft parts of the heel, 

 or back of the fetlock, as in the gallop, the injury may be 

 very severe. 



A horse that ' forges ' cannot get the fore legs away quick 

 enough. Some animals do it only when they are tired or 

 in heavy ground, others will do it while they are still fresh 

 and active. 



The methods of prevention are to keep the hind shoes 



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