8 June, 1907.] 



Lameness in Horses. 



377 



Sidebones generally occur in hea\y draught horses or in cross-bred 

 horses having short upright pasterns. It is estimated that quite one-half 

 of the aged cartdiorses in large towns are " sideboned." Some authorities 

 lay it down that a horse having sidebones, but required to work at a 

 walking pace only, may be passed as "practically sound"' pro'vided there 

 be no lameness at the time of examanation. * ' ' 



All are agreed however thac 



Fig. 46. Bones, &c., of right fore foot. A, sliort pastern bone; B, pedal bone; C, 

 outer lateral cartilage; a, outer lateral ligament of pedal-joint; b, ligament con- 

 necting lateral cartilage to short pastern bone; c, ligament connecting lateral car- 

 tilage to pedal bone. (After Dollar.) 



T sideboned horse required for trotting is unsound and liable at anv time 

 to develop lameness. The condition is a much more serious unsoundness 

 in >oung horses than in aged ones. In the latter the sidebones have become 

 set, and although there may be stiffness of gait, lameness is not sufficiently 

 pronounced to be a hindrance. In horses with good open "feet, wide at 

 the heels, sidebone lameness is not troublesome ; it is seldom severe and 

 quickly passes away if flat shoeing is adopted. It is in horses with narrow 

 feet and contracted licls that the lameness is most persistent ber^ause in 



Fit 



47' 



The 



tluunb is on the seat of sidebone. The method of handlinj: 

 indicated is awkward and incorrect. 



these there is no room for the 1)on> growth to expand and pain is cau.sed by 

 its compression against the hard unyielding wall of the hoof. When the 

 ossification process is confined to the Lateral cartilages and does not expand 



