Also 6 -halte, -hawlde, 7 -holt, -hault. [app. f. STRING sb. + HALT a. and sb.2 See also SPRINGHALT.] An affection of the hind legs of a horse which causes certain muscles to contract spasmodically.
1523–34. Fitzherb., Husb., § 108. The stryng-halte is an yl disease, and maketh hym to twyche vp his legge sodeynly.
1592. R. D., Hypnerotomachia, 45. I might well perceiue that they [sc. the nymphs] had neither crampes nor stringhawldes or leaden heeles.
1639. T. de Grey, Compl. Horsem., 66. AIL manner of convulsions, cramps, numnesse, and stringholts.
1688. Lond. Gaz., No. 2353/4. He takes up his Legs behind when he walks, as if he had the String-halt.
1817. Scott, Rob Roy, xxvii. The stringhalt will gae aff when it’s gaen a mile.
1888. W. Williams, Princ. Vet. Med. (ed. 5), 11. Hereditary tendency.—Many diseases, such as curbs, spavin,… chorea or stringhalt, run in certain breeds of horses.
† b. as adj. Affected with stringhalt. Obs.
1675. Lond. Gaz., No. 983/4. A Grey Mare,… Stringhalt on the near Leg behind. Ibid. (1703), No. 3881/4. A brown-bay Nag,… much string-halt.
Hence Stringhalted (whence Stringhaltedness), -halty adjs., affected with stringhalt. Stringhalter, a horse affected with stringhalt.
1687. Lond. Gaz., No. 2224/4. The one [gelding] a grey,… string-halted.
1853. Surtees, Sponge’s Sp. Tour (1893), 61. A weedy string-halty chestnut…, high in bone and low in flesh.
1872. Daily News, 18 April, 5/7. The roarers, wheezers, scramblers, star-gazers, stringhalters.
1889. F. C. Philips, Ainslie’s Courtship, I. vi. 62. There was also a distinct tendency towards string-haltedness.
