OSSIFICATION OF THE CARTILAGES 1 57 



must be taken not to force the pledget too hard 

 into the cleft to press upon the tender part below, 

 and during the treatment recommended it will be 

 proper to keep the frog and foot as dry as possible. 



In cases of thrush it is all-important that the 

 feet should be kept dry ; and, contrary to the 

 practice of some who recommend turning out to 

 grass with this complaint, we prefer keeping the 

 animal in the stable until a cure is effected. 



OSSIFICATION OF THE CARTILAGES. 



These cartilages occupy a considerable portion of 

 the back part and side of the foot, as represented 

 on Plate vii, fig. 7, h. Their use is to preserve the 

 conformation and expansion of the upper portion of 

 the foot. They are liable to inflammatory attacks, 

 which in time leads to a conversion of their cartila- 

 ginous (gristle) tissue, into bone texture. This ossified 

 condition of the cartilages is frequently connected 

 with ring-bone, but it often exists without any 

 affection of the pastern-joint. Side bones are 

 almost entirely confined to cart horses of great 

 weight, and apparently the weight of the body is the 

 great cause. It is difficult to find an aged and extra 

 weighty cart horse without side bones ; and the 

 converse holds good, viz., that it is difficult to find 

 a light weight animal of any breed, from the pony to 

 the thorough-bred horse, with '' side bones." 



Symptoms. — When the foot is in a healthy condition, 

 the lateral cartilages will yield to the pressure of the 

 thumb on the coronet, over the quarters. But when 

 ossification commences, and the complaint progresses, 

 then a commensurate degree of resistance manifests 

 itself, and in process of time it will no longer yield 

 to any pressure. It is then certain that complete 



