Knee-sprung — Breaking-down 243 
the part, are of assistance in curing the lameness and 
removing the enlargement. Should this treatment fail, 
firing with a fine puncturing-iron must be resorted to. 
KNEE-SPRUNG 
This is most frequent in aged horses that have 
been subject to severe work, especially upon the road. 
It is a condition in which the knees are bent or sprung 
slightly forward, owing to a coutraction of the tendons 
which pass down the back of the leg. It may occur 
in young horses as a deformity or as the result of an 
injury. When the trouble is very slight it can some- 
times be remedied by using a thin heel-shoe, and em- 
ploying hand-rubbing with a mild hniment to the back 
tendons. Well-marked or chronic cases will require the 
eutting of one or both of the back tendons. This 
operation should be performed only by a skilled 
surgeon. 
BREAKING -DOWN 
In horses that are used for racing or are otherwise 
subjected to severe exertion, the ligaments which pass 
down over the fetlock-joints become ruptured, allowing 
the joints to fall nearly to the ground as the horse 
puts his weight upon them. If the rupture is severe 
there is little hope of recovery, although the animal 
ean often get about fairly well and can be used for 
breeding purposes. When the rupture of the ligaments 
is slight, rest, a light blister to the part and a brace 
attached to the shoe, will often enable the ruptured 
