Common Diseases of the Horse 



^11 



Treatment. — Treatment has been tried, and occasionally proved 

 a success. It is, however, of a complicated nature, and involves 

 either the severing of a tendon in front of the hock or a cutting 

 of the fascia of the thigh. This can, of course, only be performed 

 by the veterinary surgeon. 



Ringbone 



Ringbone is an exostosis on the pastern bones; i.e. a deposit 

 of bone on any of the last three bones (not including the small 

 navicular) of the limb. 



These bones correspond to the last three of those of a man's 



Ringbone 



A, Extensor pedis tendon, b, Os suffraginis or first phalanx. C, Os coronal. 

 D, Ringbone. E, Os pedis. 



middle finger or toe. Thus the fetlock joint represents the knuckle 

 of the human being. Starting from the foot, they are known as 

 the coffin bone, which is contained in an unresisting horny box, 

 the hoof; the coronet, or short pastern bone, which is partly inside 

 the hoof; and finally the pastern, or long pastern bone, which, with 

 the cannon bone, unites to form the fetlock joint. 



Ringbone is known as "true" and "false": true when it inter- 

 feres with the action of any of the joints, and false when it is simply 

 deposited on the bone without impeding the action of the joint. 

 It is also known as " high " or " low " ringbone: high when it affects 

 the bones above the hoof, and low when it occurs on those inside. 



VOL. IIL 45 



