290 PARTICULAR LAMENESSES. 



by allowing the animal to throw its weight upon the heeli 

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

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

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

 ordinary way. 



If the hoi-se 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 think 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 inihe Jore^and 

 Lind.limbs,^are often succeeded j3y^ing-Jjonei 



