378 EXAMINATION OF HORSES AS TO SOUNDNESS 



the pastern to join it, would be more likely to produce lameness than one 

 occurring in either of the triangular spaces situated between them, and 

 which are covered over by skin alone. Lower down we come to the short 

 pastern, the common seat of ring-bone, which is characterized by a full firm 

 bony growth spread over the front and sides of the bone, and may pass 

 upward over the lower end of the long pastern, or downward to the os 

 pedis or foot-bone, or to both. Its encroachment on important structures, 

 whose action it impedes, renders the formation an unsoundness of the worst 

 form. The fact, however, must not be overlooked, that great differences 

 are found to exist in the natural conformation of the pasterns of different 

 horses, and especially towards the sides, where the tubercles to which the 

 lateral ligaments are attached are sometimes extremely developed, and 

 give the pasterns a prominence and coarseness which it is difficult to 

 differentiate from disease. Any scars and thickenings of the skin and 

 underlying parts about the coronet should be carefully noted. Such con- 

 ditions may be the remains of a former quittor or carbunculous disease of 

 the coronary band, both of which may return, with the worst consequences. 



The Foot. From this region we descend to the feet, and, comparing 

 the one with the other, remark any difference of size or form, or in the 

 general character of the hoof-horn. 



It sometimes happens that one foot is smaller than the other from 

 birth, and where this is known to be so, too much importance must not 

 be attached to it; but it must not be forgotten that such cases are exceed- 

 ingly rare, and it becomes necessary, without direct knowledge to the 

 contrary, to regard all differences of this kind to have resulted from 

 disease either in the organ itself or in some remote part, necessitating 

 prolonged resting and contraction of the foot as a result. 



The fact must not be lost sight of that one or both feet may be consid- 

 erably reduced in circumference by breakage of the horn or undue paring, 

 and disparity of size may be due to one or other of these causes; here, 

 however, the heels will be open, and in point of width and development 

 correspond with the larger foot. We shall see presently that contraction 

 of the foot resulting from disease is attended with certain well-marked 

 changes which are not difficult to recognize, and which clearly indicate the 

 existence of unsoundness. 



The feet may be unduly flat or too deep and upright, as the result of 

 disease, laminitis or fever in the feet being a common cause of the former, 

 and navicular disease, or some more remote affection in which the foot is 

 rested, of the other. 



Where laminitis has existed, the hoof usually presents a number of 

 ridges encircling the foot, the hoof-horn is brittle, dry-looking, and coarse 



