RINGBONE. 



351 



From violent or repeated sprains of the pastern or coffin-joints, or extension 

 of the ligaments attached to other parts of the pastern-bones, inflammation 

 takes place in the periosteum, and bony matter is formed, which often rapidly 

 increases, and is recognized by the name of 



RINGBONE. 

 Ringbone is a deposit of bony matter in one of the pasterns, and usually 

 near the joint. It rapidly spreads, and in- 

 volves not only the pastern-bones, but the 

 cartilages of the foot, and spreading around 

 the pasterns and cartilages, thus derives its 

 name. When the first deposit is on the lower 

 pastern, and on both sides of it, and produced 

 by violent inflammation of the ligaments of 

 the joints, it is recognised by a slight enlarge- 

 ment, or bony tumour on each side of the 

 foot, and just above the coronet. (See/in the 

 accompanying cut.) Horses with short upright 

 joints, and with small feet and high action, 

 are oftenest, as may be supposed, the subjects 

 of this disease, which is the consequence either 

 of concussion or sprain of the pastern-joints. 

 It is also more frequent in the hind foot than 

 the fore, because, from the violent action of 

 the hind legs in propelling the horse forward 

 the pasterns are more subject to ligamentary 

 injury behind than before ; yet the lameness 

 is not so great there, because the disease is 

 confined principally to the ligaments, and 

 the bones have not been injured by concus- 

 sion; while from the position of the fore 

 limbs, there will generally be in them injury 

 of the bones to be added to that of the liga- 

 ments. In its early stage, and when recog- 

 nised only by a bony enlargement on both 

 sides of the pastern-joint, or in some few cases 

 on one side only, the lameness is not very 

 considerable, and it is not impossible to remove 

 the disease by active blistering, or by the ap- 

 plication of the cautery : but there is so much 

 wear and tear in this part of the animal, that 

 the inflammation and the disposition to the 

 formation of bone rapidly spread. The pas- 

 terns first become connected together by bone 

 instead of ligament, and thence results what 

 is called an anchylosed or fixed joint. From 

 this joint the disease proceeds to the cartilages 

 of the foot, and to the union between the 

 lower pastern, and the coffin and navicular 

 bones. The motion of these parts likewise is 

 impeded or lost, and the whole of the foot be- 

 comes one mass of spongy bone. From a dis- 

 position to spread, and at first around the 

 pastern-joint, which is situated just above the coronet, the disease has acquired 

 the name of ringbone. 



