110 



MODERN HORSE MANAGEMENT 



[CHAP. 



is often resorted to as a last resource. This con- 

 sists in severing the internal and external meta- 

 tarsal, or metacarpal, nerves just above the sesa- 

 moid bones at the back of the fetlock. (See 

 P. 137.) 



432. Sidebone. Is an ossified lateral cartilage 

 of the foot. The lateral cartilages consist of two 

 flat pieces of translucent hyaline cartilage at- 

 tached to the wings of the foot bone. Their 

 function is to support and give elasticity to the 

 heels. Sidebone can be internal or external. 

 (See P. 96c.) 



Cause. On account of the blood supply to 

 these cartilages being poor, they readily become 

 diseased if injured. Sidebones are the result of 

 hard work, and occur frequently in the draught 

 horse, especially in the forefeet. Sidebones are 

 hereditary. They may arise from want of frog 

 pressure. (See Chapter XVIII.) High calkins or 

 paring away the frog will cause this ; the soft 

 frog or plantar cushion is consequently not sup- 

 ported by the horny frog, causing great strain on 

 the lateral cartilages. External injuries, such as 

 treads, may cause sidebones. 



Symptoms. Horse goes short and foot dwells 

 on ground longer than in navicular disease. 

 Horse tries to bend his leg and to take the weight 

 on other foot. There will probably be heat and 

 pain on pressure if the finger is pressed above 

 the coronet in a downward direction. If the 

 cartilage is ossified it will feel hard ; a distinct 

 firm ridge will be felt, instead of a soft pliable 

 one. 



Treatment. Obtain frog pressure by lowering 

 heels, and give rest. Reduce the wall of hoof in 

 vicinity of side bone. Hasten ossification by 

 blistering around the part ; when this is complete 

 inflammation will decrease. In bad cases neurec- 

 tomy must be resorted to. (See Sec. 431.) 



433. Sore Shins. Not uncommon in race- 

 horses that do hard work, especially when on 

 hard ground. The disease, which is due to con- 

 cussion, consists of a swelling in front of the 

 lower third of the cannon. There are heat and 

 pain on pressure ; later the swelling becomes 

 more like putty and eventually hard, this being 

 due to bony deposit. 



The horse will go short on the affected leg, 

 and will try to bear most weight on the other 

 leg. If on both he will shift his legs about in 

 the stable continually. In slight cases massage, 

 pressure bandages and rest will effect a cure. In 

 worse cases blister. 



434. Stiff Joints. These may often be cured 

 by passive exercise and the breaking down of the 

 tissue that has formed around the joint ; and by 

 a free use of massaging with suitable diet. (See 

 Sees. 209, 217-9.) 



435. Navicular Disease. Consists in the 

 navicular bone becoming diseased. This bone 

 bears no weight but acts as a pulley block to the 

 perforans tendon. It is situated in rear of and 



below the foot bone, the perforans passing be- 

 hind and under it. (See P. 69, 101.) Owing to 

 this, it is subject to compression every time the 

 perforans tendon is put in tension. 



Cause. The trouble is generally in the fore- 

 foot, and commonly in trotting horses, especially 

 those which work on city streets. Trotting race- 

 horses are very subject to it. Caused by concus- 

 sion, as a rule, but may be the result of injury 

 to the perforans tendon, or direct mechanical 

 injury, or rheumatism. 



Symptoms. There are generally no outward 

 signs on the foot. The surest sign is stepping 

 short and trotting as if sore ; pointing the foot 

 while resting, and lying down after hard work. 

 Horse tends to go on his toes. At the walk he is 

 probably not lame. Lameness decreases or dis- 

 appears as horse warms up. He may go sound 

 on snow or soft sand. Pressure by the finger on 

 the frog may show pain. Diagnose by negative 

 symptoms. 



Treatment. A cure is impossible, but lame- 

 ness may be prevented in some cases by paring 

 away the frog and using high heels, thereby re- 

 moving frog pressure. I have known this to be 

 successful in several cases. The toe should be 

 kept short. Feed on laxative diet, and encour- 

 age horse to lie down as much as possible by 

 giving soft bedding. Place clay in the front of 

 the stall. Work horse on soft ground and turn 

 out to pasture when roads are very hard. Several 

 hours a day standing in cold water will remove 

 much of the inflammation. In bad cases the only 

 relief for lameness is neurectomy. (See Sec. 

 431.) 



436. Quittor. This consists of a canal, or 

 several canals, running between the hoof and 

 pedal bone through the sensitive laminae of the 

 foot ; it reaches, or tends to reach, the surface 

 at the coronet. 



Cause. Treads, especially from calkins in 

 heavy horses or from loose nails ; blows, frost 

 bites, nail pricks, suppurating corns and other 

 mechanical injuries. 



Symptoms and Treatment. A lump forms on 

 the coronet and horse goes lame. If this does not 

 come to a head, it can be hastened by rubbing in 

 a mild blister for a few minutes. Open wound 

 and treat as an ordinary abscess (see Sec. 444), 

 taking great care to remove foreign tissue and 

 matter, and to syringe right to the bottom twice 

 a day, so as to cause it to heal from the bottom 

 only. If the canal goes right through, a seton 

 should be placed in it to insure its being kept 

 open until ready to heal. Inject cocaine before 

 opening. In deep cases put horse under a 

 general anaesthetic, and open canal right 

 through. 



437. Enlargements due to injury of synovial 

 membrane of a joint and consequent excessive 

 secretion due to a provision of Nature. 



Windgalls. A puffy, flabby enlargement 



