The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-05-17
THIS DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN LAMENEss.

a hind foot in such a manner as to give
plain evidence of pain when his weight is
borne on it the fact has usually no signif-
canoe. In like manner very tired horse
will often rest the fore and hind feet of
the opposite sides, as the right hind foot
and the left fore foot or vice versa, but
when he points fore foot the circum-
stance may always be regarded with sus-
picion, as he will never do this unless
there is some weakness in one or the other
fore foot. The greater part OF horses
weight in standing comes on the fore legs
and he always carries it equally upon the
two, unless one is weak.
AS we noted last week horse with
contracted hoof will stand with that foot
in advance of the other. with the toe rest
ing on the ground. This relieves the heel
of pressure. If, on the contrary, he points
the foot in such way as TO raise the toe
and bring the weight on the heel, you may
suspect laminitis founder), or incipient
ringbone. In navicular disease a horse
raises the heel and points the toe. Some
times, in this disease, he will seem to stand
firmly upon both fore feet, but if one pas
tern is held little straighter than the
other you may be sure he is easing that
foot of his weight. In lameness OF the
hind feet the animal will often lift the af-
fected foot entirely from the ground. You
can tell whether he is only resting hind
foot or pointing it, in earnest, by giving
him quick push, and noticing whether
he shifts the weight on one hind foot more
quickly than on the other. The hind feet
are not often the seat of lameness. When
lameness does appear in hind leg ii is
usually about the hook, and we may look
there for SPAWN, thoroughpin or curb.
A horse lame behind viii usually "hitch"
the quarter of the same side, SO that it
comes little higher than its fellow, as the
animal travels. Some badly gated horses
a ST
lame horse usually ducks" his head as
well. Thus, a horse lame in the right hind
leg will lower his head when the left fore
foot is brought TO the grouI.d. horse
that is lame in one fore foot will lower the
head when stepping on the sound fore foot.
If lame in both fore feet he will probably
carry his head as usual. but will step
short and quickly, and in standing will
keep up constant shifting of his feet.
Such horse should be trotted first upon
hard, then upon soft ground, and watched
for improvements in the latter case. If he
goes better in the soft ground you may be
sure he is lame In both fore feet. In shout
der lameness the toe on the injured side
will be dragged little in bringing til foot
forward. In standing the foot will be held
pack of its fellow, the knee bent and the
whole limb relaxed, swinging loose. When
the seat of trouble is the elbow the fore
arm is extended, the knee bent and the
loot, resting upon its toe beside or a little
back of the other.
A horse with laminitis will walk on his
heels, and will go down hill more easily
than up. On the other hand, the lame
ness of incipient navicular disease will be
more noticeable when the animal is going
down hill. A good deal may be learned
from study of the way the shoes are
worn. In navicular disease the toe of tue
shoe wears first; in laminitis and ring.
bone, the heels. This of the front feet. Ii
a horse is lame behind, and wears the toe
of the shoe, the cause is probably spawn.
The lameness from all these, except laml-
ni,is, usually disappears upon exercise.
If it persists it is probably the result OF
some other cause, as sprain. corns, or in
iuries to bone or lisaments. Lamlnltis,
or founder, is a disease of the feet, caused
| by hard roads, by eating or drinking when