SPRAIN OF THE BACK SINEWS, 
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militate against the free action of the tendons, and thus 
requiring a greater degree of exertion to keep up progressive 
motion. This will he the case, even with the best horse, 
otherwise well formed, and who has a complete degree ot 
muscular development; which by a continuance of the 
pressure and action must strain the tendons. But this is 
not all: when the back tendons are thus bound down, they 
are squeezed into a more oblique direction, consequently it 
requires a greater force to make the muscles act, and fatigue 
is induced in a shorter time, and it is almost always accom¬ 
panied by a sprain. In short, it is one of the worst defects 
incidental to the horse. 
SPRAIN OF THE BACK SINEWS. 
The back tendons are enclosed in a sheath of thick 
cellular substance, which not only protects them from 
injury, but also keeps them in their proper situation. To 
prevent friction, a mucous fluid intervenes between the 
sheath and the tendon. When the horse has been over¬ 
exerted, or over-worked, the tendon presses upon the delicate 
membrane with which the sheath is lined, and induces 
inflammation. This creates the secretion and discharge of 
a different fluid, which becomes coagulated, and the conse¬ 
quence is, that adhesions are formed between the sheath and 
tendons, which render the motion of the limb more difficult 
and cause pain during action. Long-continued action will 
also sometimes rupture some of the fibres with which the 
tendons are bound. This is what has been termed a sprain 
of the back sinew, and when this takes place to a greater 
extent, the horse is said to have broken down. So that, in 
point of fact, there is no rupture of the tendon itself, as it 
cannot, be sprained, not being elastic or capable of extension. 
Symptoms. —It will be seen that during every movement 
