146 



It is most common in horses of the lighter breeds, with 

 narrow chests, upright pasterns, and out-turned toes. The 

 signs of the presence of this disease are a short tripping 

 gait, wiring in of the heels, wearing away of the toe of the 

 shoe, wasting of the muscles of the shoulder, projecting of the 

 limb whilst standing. These signs infallibly mark the disease. 

 In slight cases, and when early noticed, it is possible, if not to 

 cure, at any rate greatly to relieve it; but where it continues 

 for some weeks, the articular surface of the tendon becomes 

 abraded, and the synovial membrane inflamed; after this 

 the articular cartilage becomes involved, and lastly the bone 

 becomes ulcerated. 



Treatment. — Various but unsatisfactory remedies have 

 been tried for this disease, but absolute rest does more good 

 than anything else. Division of the nerve going to the foot 

 has been tried, but little good has followed, for it is a pain- 

 ful, risky, unsatisfactory operation. 



SPAVINS, SPLINTS, and RING-BONES (technically called 

 EXOSTOSIS). 



These diseased conditions of the bones become very seri- 

 ous in animals that are specially formed for speed and labor. 

 They are produced by the same causes, are of the same na- 

 ture, and the only reason why they receive these different 

 names is to indicate the particular locality of the fore or 

 hind limb on which they are formed. 



In all cases, the evil commences in the tough vascular 

 membrane investing the bone, which is termed the Perios- 

 teum. From whatever cause the inflammation is induced, 

 it is usually followed by a deposit of limy or osseous matter, 

 which forms into a kind of bony tumor of various shapes. 

 These ma/ occur either in the neighborhood of the hock, 

 knee, or pastern joints, and which from these different loca- 

 tions are called Spavins, Splints, or Ring-bones. 



