rom the upright to the oblique, from
before backward, and from above downward; in other words, forming an
angle with its apex in front.

_Causes._--This condition, as we have seen, may be the result of chronic
disease producing structural changes in the tendons, and it may also
occur as the result of other affections or some peculiarity independent
of this and situated below the fetlock, such as ringbones, sidebones, or
traumatic disease of the foot proper. Animals are sometimes predisposed
to knuckling, such, for example, as are naturally straight in their
pasterns, or animals which are compelled to labor when too young. The
hind legs are more predisposed than the fore to this deformity, in
consequence of the greater amount of labor they are required to perform
as the propelling levers of the body.

_Symptoms._--The symptoms of knuckling are easily recognized. The
changes in the direction of the bones vary more or less with the degree
of the lesion, sometimes assuming such a direction that it almost
becomes a true dislocation of the pastern.

The effect of knuckling upon the gait also varies according to the
degree of the deformity. As the different degrees of the shortening of
the leg affect the motion of the fetlock, the lameness may be very
slight or quite extreme. Another consequence of this shortening is such
a change in the position of the foot that the heels cease to come in
contact with the ground and assume a greater elevation, and the final
result of this is soon witnessed in the development of a clubfoot.

_Treatment._--To whatever cause the knuckling may be ascribed, it is
always a severe infirmity, and there is but little room for hoping to
overcome it unless it be during the very first stages of the trouble,
and the hope dwindles to still smaller dimensions when it is secondary
to other diseases below the fetlock. If it is caused by overworking the
animal, the first indication, of course, will be rest. Line firing has
proved very efficacious in these cases. The animal must be turned loose
and left unemployed. Careful attention should be given to the condition
of his feet and to the manner of shoeing, while time is allowed for the
tendons to become restored to their normal state and the irritation
caused by excessive stretching has subsided. A shoe with a thick heel
will contribute to this. If no improvement can be obtained, however, and
the tendons though retracted have yet been relieved of much of the