108 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



several positions with regard to its 

 height from the hoof, giving rise to 

 high, middle and low ring-bones. The 

 disease may result from severe labor, 

 bruises, sprains or injuries to the liga- 

 ments. Apparently, also, ring-bone may 

 be partly of a hereditary nature or at 

 least the tendency seems to be inherited 

 to develop ring-bone. This trouble is 

 rather more serious than splints. It 

 causes a defect which must lead to the 

 rejection of a horse on account of un- 

 soundness even if no actual lameness is 

 present. Eing-bone may be largely pre- 

 vented by the use of well balanced ra- 

 tions and care in trimming the hoofs of 

 young colts so that the foot is always 

 properly balanced. Even after ring- 

 bone has developed, it is sometimes pos- 

 sible to cure it by proper shoeing so as 

 to straighten the axis of the foot. In 

 many cases relief or cure is obtained by 

 the use of sharp blisters of cantharides 

 and biniodide of mercury. The actual 

 cautery is also employed in treating this 

 disease. If none of these treatments 

 bring the desired results, the trouble 

 may be remedied by the operation known 

 a3 neurectomy, which consists in sever- 

 ing the plantar or median nerve. 



Bone spavin i s a bony outgrowth of 

 the hock joint. Enlargement usually 

 appears on the front and inner side of 

 the joint, but may sometimes occur on 

 the upper part of the hock. In certain 

 cases there is no enlargement of the 

 joint which may be detected by sight or 

 touch. Such cases of spavin are due to 

 partial union of the bones which con- 

 stitute the joint. Bone spavin inter- 

 feres in a serious manner with the 

 usefulness of the affected horse. The lo- 

 cation of the enlargement gives rise to 

 the terms high, outside, or external 

 spavin. Spavin as a rule is due to 

 bruises or strains, particularly in vio- 

 lent efforts put forth in jumping, trot- 

 ting or galloping. After a spavin has 

 become thoroughly established, the us- 

 ual remedies are not very satisfactory. 

 Horses should at once be turned out to 

 pasture and allowed to rest for not less 

 than one month. Some benefit may be 

 expected, especially in the early stages 

 of the disease, by the use of astringent 

 liniments such as iodine or from freely 

 cauterizing with a firing iron. 



Side bones — On either side of the 

 coffin bone there is a cartilage which 

 may in certain cases become hardened 



by deposits of mineral matters which 

 may thus lead to lameness. Side bones 

 are situated on one or both sides of the 

 leg and bulge above the upper border of 

 the hoof. They may be the result of in- 

 flamed conditions, bruises, or may follow 

 troubles like corns, quittor or quarter 

 crack. The treatment usually recom- 

 mended for side bones consists in the 

 free use of cold foot baths and tincture 

 of iodine applied to the swollen parts. 

 Minor difficulties which cause lame- 

 ness — In addition to these bone dis- 

 eases which may cause lameness, the 

 horse is also subject to fractures of bones 

 in various parts of the body, the symp- 

 toms and conditions naturally varying 

 with the part affected. Lameness may 

 also be caused by various troubles lo- 

 cated in or around the joints. For ex- 

 ample, wind gall is a name given to the 

 enlargement of the joint sack at the 

 back part of the fetlock joint. They 



Fig. 56 — QUARTER CRACK TREATED BY 

 CLAMPING WITH NAILS 



appear in the form of soft tumors of 

 varying size and are caused by strains, 

 jumping or bruises. Sometimes the 

 trouble may be checked by the long con- 

 tinued application of cold water. Pres- 

 sure bandages may also be used and 

 liniments and blisters applied. 



The bog spavin, blood spavin and 

 thoroughpin are sometimes confused. 

 Blood spavin is located in front and on 

 the inside of the hock and is merely 

 a varicose condition of the vein. Bog 

 spavin is a round, smooth tumor in 

 front and on the inside of the hock. 

 Under pressure it disappears and re- 

 appears on the outside and back of the 

 hock. Thoroughpin is found at the back 

 and top of the hock. The treatment 



