COMMINUTED FRACTURE OF UPPER PASTERN BONES. 327 
fore leg when the groom first perceived the lameness. If so, 
it is very singular that the mare could travel such a distance 
(upwards of eight miles) without causing displacement of the 
broken bone. The accident to the off leg would seem to 
have been caused by the efforts of the mare to move with 
one broken limb. 
[On examination, the parts showed, not only a commi¬ 
nuted fracture of both the large pastern bones, but an extra¬ 
ordinary laceration of the ligaments and integumental covering 
of the pastern joints. Greater injury could scarcely have 
been done had the animal been forcibly struck down, and 
a heavy weight made to pass over the limbs. Seeing this, 
we wrote to Mr. Wentw'orth for further particulars, and 
requested that he would interrogate the groom particularly 
as to the time of the occurrence of the second described 
fracture. To our inquiries we received the subjoined com¬ 
munication :—] 
Dear Sirs, — I have made further inquiries respecting the 
case of fractured pasterns. The description I gave in my 
last is, on the whole, correct. 
The groom positively states that the mare “ first fell lame 
of the near fore leg/ 5 She was then ridden upwards of two 
miles, and improved in her going. (You will find I did not 
state that her lameness passed off. The mare was put into a 
stable belonging to Mr. Clark's brother, whose servant led 
her out for the groom to mount, and made the remark, 
Ci Your mare is very lame/' The groom then rode her about 
three miles, and as the lameness increased, he called at the 
farm-yard of W. Wright, Esq., of Wold Newton, and got a 
smith to examine her foot. (I ought to have stated in my 
last, that the man told me the shoe was not taken off.) The 
foot was hammered and pinched by the smith in the presence 
of Mr. Wright and his servant (the latter is a very experienced 
man among horses) ; and although the foot was taken up 
several times, they could not detect any positive cause for 
the lameness. They did not perceive any unnatural heat or 
swelling, but thought the mare was tender about the fetlock- 
joint, and concluded that this was the seat of lameness. 
After the examination of the foot the mare was very lame, 
and the groom commenced leading her, but shortly afterwards 
mounted. He was overtaken by a neighbouring farmer, who, 
after riding a little distance with him, made the remark, “ the 
further your mare goes the lamer she gets. 55 The lameness 
increasing, the groom again commenced leading the mare; and 
