SPRAIN OF THE COFFIN-JOINT — RINGBONE. 



277 



SPRAIN OF THE COFFIN-JOINT 



The pro--;f of this is when the lameness is sudden, and the heat and tenderness are 

 principally fell round the coronet. Bleedinjj at the toe, physic, fomentation, and 

 blisters are the usual means adopted. This lameness is not easily removed, even by 

 a blister; and if removed, like sprains of the fetlock and of the back sinews, it is apt 

 to return, and finally produce a great deal of disorganization and mischief in the foot. 



Sprain of the coffin-joint sometimes becomes a very 

 serious atTair. Not being always attended by any 

 external swelling and being detected only by heal- 

 round the coronet, the seat of the lameness is 

 \^ ^ ^V\ L often overlooked by the groom and the farrier; 



■"^ '^ and the disease is suffered to become confirmed 



before its nature is discovered. 



From violent or repeated sprains of the pastern 

 or coffin-joints, or extension of the ligaments 

 attached to other parts of tlie pastern-bones, in- 

 flammation takes place in the periosteum, and bony 

 matter is formed, which often rapidly increases, 

 and is recognized by the name of 



RINGBONE. 



Ringbone is a deposit of bony matter in one of 

 the pasterns, and usually near the joint. It rapidly 

 spreads, and involves not only the pastern-bones, but 

 the cartilages of the foot, and spreading around the 

 pasterns and cartilages, thus derives its name. 

 When the first deposit is on the lower pastern, 

 and on both sides of it, and produced by violent 

 inflammation of the ligaments of the joints, it is 

 recognised by a slight enlargement, or bony tumour 

 on each side of the foot, and just above the coronet. 

 (See / in the accompanying cut.) Horses with 

 short upright joints, and with small feet and high 

 action, are oftenest, as may be supposed, the sub- 

 jects of this disease, which is the consequence 

 either of concussion or sprain of the pastern-joints. 

 It is also more frequent in the hind foot than the 

 fore, because, from the violent action of the hind 

 legs in propelling the horse forward, the pasterns 

 are more subject to ligamentary injury behind than 

 before; yet the lameness is not so great there, 

 because the disease is confined principally to the 

 ligaments, and the bones have not been injured by 

 concussion ; while from the position of the fore 

 limbs, there will generally be in them injury of 

 the bones to be added to that of the ligaments. In 

 its early stage, and when recognized only by a bony 

 enlargement on both sides of the pastern-joint, or 

 in some few cases on one side only, the lameness 

 is not very considerable, and it is not impossible 

 to remove the disease by active blistering, or by 

 the application of the cautery : but there is so much 

 wear and tear in this part of the animal, that the 

 inflammation and the disposition to the formation 

 of bone rapidly spread. The pasterns first become 

 connected together by bone instead of ligament, 

 and thence results what is called an anchylosed or 

 fixed joint. From this joint the disease proceeds 

 to the cartilages of the foot, and to the union 

 between the lower pastern, and the coffin and 



