3B 



LAMENESS IN THE COFFIN 

 JOINT. 



This generally arises from a strain of the 

 ligaments, which hold the foot or coftin borie, 

 and the lesser pastern bone together. This 

 joint is seated within the hoof, and is much 

 exposed to injnry from any sudden shock, or 

 irregidcir position of the foot. If the disease 

 continues to exist for a considerable length of 

 time, an anchylosis, or complete union of the 

 two bones, will take place. In this ea«e the 

 joint is irrecovei"ably lost; and although the 

 horse may feel no pain in the part affected, yet 

 his motion will be im|>erfect, and the pasterrt 

 being less flexible and elastic than in its natural 

 state, that part of the limb will appear stiff 

 and upright. 



Lameness in the coffin joint is not discover- 

 able by any external swelling ; hence it gene- 

 rally happens that the lameness is attributed to 

 some iHJury in the shoulder; and during the 

 period that the remedy is applied to that part, 

 the disease is going on in the foot, and for 

 want of timely relief becomes incurable. It i* 

 almost universally accompanied by a conti-ac- 

 tion of the hoof. This is brought on by the 

 horse iiolding out the lame leg before him, and 

 Bot pressing on the hoof. Hence, if ahorse 



