338 



ANIMAL MANAGEMENT. 



Splints. 



Sore 

 shins. 



Ring 

 bones. 



Side 

 bones. 



Laminitis. 



strides with both, "potter" along instead of striding out, and are most 

 difficult to detect when the lameness is not severe. An animal very lame 

 of one foreleg appears to be lame of the diagonal hind leg also when 

 trotting away ; this appearance is deceptive to the beginner, and practice 

 alone will enable anyone to recognise it. 



In horses the majority of causes of lameness occur at or below the knee 

 and hock ; lameness in the shoulder and hip are comparatively rare, and 

 the foot is the most common seat. In all cases where no apparent and 

 sufficient cause can be detected, the foot should be thoroughly examined, 

 and the case regarded as foot lameness till the cause is discovered. 



Splhits are bony growths on the cannon bones of horses and mules, 

 chiefly on the insides of the forelegs, but they may occur on the outside. 

 They lame as a rule only whilst they are growing, and become callous as 

 they get older ; in animals which work slowly they are not a common 

 cause of lameness, and they do not usually cause trouble in animals over 

 six years old. 



Sore shins may occasionally occur after severe marches. The lower 

 part of the cannon bones are painful and hot and the animal lame ; there 

 may even be some swelling over the place, which is "doughy" to the 

 feel. Hot water applications until the pain is gone, followed by a cold 

 bandage, will relieve the condition, and rest is essential till recovery is 

 complete. 



Ritio bojies are bony enlargements of the pasterns anywhere between 

 the fetlock and coronet, and they occur on all four legs. In mules and 

 horses, which are constantly shackled by the hind legs, they are often 

 seen as a result of the irritation of the hobble, and this particular variety 

 is much less serious than when they occur in the forelegs. They may 

 occasion severe and continuous lameness which incapacitates the animal 

 for all fast work, though often capable of working at a walk, and in 

 consequence they may not always militate against usefulness for trans- 

 port. 



Side bones are occasioned by the cartilages at the sides of the foot 

 being converted into bone, and are most common among heavy horses. 

 They seldom prevent animals working at a slow pace, but may occasion- 

 ally cause lameness after unusually long marches, when the feet should 

 be wrapped in cold-water cloths. The cause of lameness from side bone 

 is the concussion caused by the want of spring in the bony cartilages and, 

 as before remarked, animals not required for fast work may be perfectly 

 useful notwithstanding their presence. 



Laminitis^ " fever in the feet," is an inflamed condition of the fleshy 

 leaves which are found beneath the wall of the hoof and covering the 



