290 PAKTICULAR LAMENESSES. 



by allowing the animal to throw its weight upon the heels 

 with the least possible effort. I have many cases of ring-bone 

 at the present time, where the horses go moderately sound with 

 puch a shoe, that would be unworkably lame if shod in the 

 ordinary way. 



If the horse walks on his toe, he must be shod with a high- 

 heeled shoe. This only occurs when ring-bone is situated in the 

 hind limbs, and on the sides or back of the pastern ; when in 

 front, the horse will go on his heel, and is to be shod with the 

 low- heeled shoe. 



Very long pasterns, from the fact that they act too powerfully 

 as levers upon the articulations, are subject to ring-bones; in 

 such cases, I tliink that they arise from sprain of the ligaments. 

 This occurs, as a rule, in the hind legs, and for this reason, the 

 horse lame from this cause throws his weight upon the column 

 of bones by walking on the toe. Sprain of the flexor tendons, 

 as well as that of the suspensory ligament, both in the fore and 

 hind limbs, are often succeeded by ring-bones. 



