126 MANUAL OF moder:!? farriery. 



Barbadoes aloes . - ^t o^iice, 



Calomel . . .2 drachms, 



Jalap . . . -g- drachm ; 



to be given in the form of a ball. 



RINGBONE. 



This is one of the worst species of lameness which is 

 incidental to the horse. Whenever it exists, even in the 

 slightest degree, it comes under the character of unsound- 

 ness, because it is so liable to increase ; and when the bony 

 deposit begins to enlarge, the lameness becomes incurable. 

 This complaint commences in one of the pasterns, and 

 usually near to the joint It is liable to spread rapidly, 

 affecting not only the pastern bones, but also the cartilages 

 of the foot. When the first deposit is on and surrounds the 

 lower pastern, emanating from a violent inflammation of the 

 ligaments, a small enlargement or bony process is to be per- 

 ceived immediately above the coronet. (See plate 6, fig. 8, 

 b.) The hind feet are most liable to this complaint, as 

 they are subjected to the greatest stress in the force required 

 by them to propel the horse, and in this case the back part 

 of the foot is most liable to be affected. But the disease is 

 not of so serious a nature, being chiefly confined to the 

 ligaments, and the bones have not been injured by concus- 

 sion, to which the fore legs are peculiarly exposed ; conse- 

 quently, in them, diseases of the bones generally accompany 

 ligamentary laineness. 



Remedies. — In the early stages of this complaint, when 

 even a bony enlargement is visible on both sides of the 

 pastern joint, or on one side only, and the enlargement is 

 of but small extent, then there is a probability that it 

 may be removed by the application of an active blister, 

 or by the use of the cautery. But owing to the extreme 



