Ring-bone 



233 



is sometimes caused by a sharp -shod horse stepping 

 on its mate so as to injure the joint. 



The symptoms of ring-bone are severe lameness, 

 with inflammation of the joint as shown by heat, pain 



and swelling. These symp- 

 toms are followed by a bony 

 bunch, thrown out usually 

 toward the side of the joint; 

 or the exostosis may form a 

 ring nearly around the joint. 

 The treatment for ring- 

 bone is the same as that for 

 Spavin, except that firing is 

 to be resorted to earlier. 

 Ring-bones occur on a much 

 more important joint than the 

 spavins. More motion takes 

 place at the pastern -joint, 

 and as a result ring-bones 

 are more difficult to cure. 

 The treatment, as commonly 

 expressed by horsemen, is to 

 "fire, blister and turn out to 

 grass." When the joint is welded together, the ring- 

 bone is said to be cured. A horse having a ring-bone, 

 even though he is cured, has a decided limp, owing to 

 the welding together of the bones of such an important 

 joint. Such animals are useful only for performing 

 slow work. 



Fig. 46. 

 Ring-bone enlargement. 



