278 DISEASES OF BONE. 



animals, as they will probably become better developed in the 

 former than in the latter. 



The shape of the feet is a very important factor in the gravity 

 of this disease ; because sidebones, even in the fore feet of cart- 

 horses are, as a rule, of little consequence, provided that the feet 

 are well-shaped and the heels open ; but if the feet are narrow and 

 their heels contracted, the presence of sidebones in them should 

 be regarded as a serious defect, even if the horse goes sound ; for 

 in this case, he will in all probability become lame later on, from 

 the ossified condition of his lateral cartilages. Fig. 108 shows 

 the presence of largely developed sidebones in a draught horse 

 which had gopd open feet, and which remained free from lameness 

 up to the time of his death by an accident. 



The case is diiferent with saddle and light harness horses ; for 

 the faster the pace, the more objectionable will be the stiffness 

 which is inseparable from the fact that the once elastic cartilages 

 have become transformed into bone. Such animals will, however, 

 be often able to do a good deal of useful work if kept on soft 

 ground, and are not exposed to the effects of concussion, as in 

 jumping or in fast trotting on a hard road. It frequently happens 

 that although a horse with sidebones may go decidedly lame after 

 extra work, a few days' rest will set him all right, for the time 

 being, except for the chronic stiffness. 



HEREDITARY PREDISPOSWION is well marked in this dis- 

 ease. During the seventies, eighties and early nineties, there was 

 a steady increase in sidebones among cart-horses in England, but 

 since then, an equally steady decrease has set in, owing to the dis- 

 favour with which the authorities of English agricultural societies 

 regard this ailment. The more lenient view taken in Scotland 

 has been productive of very disastrous results. 



TREATMENT.— With the object of relieving the lameness, stop 

 work ; lower the heels, so as to obtain frog pressure ; and thin the 

 horn below the sidebone, by the rasp and drawing knife. We may 

 blister so as to hasten the process of ossification, on the completion 

 of which the inflammation will cease. Neurotomy is indicated if 

 the lameness proves incurable by other means. When working a 

 horse with sidebones, it is well to use a heart-shaped bar shoe 

 (Fig. 52), so as to obtain pressure on the frog. 



Colonel F. Smith recommends the practice of giving mechanical 

 relief from the pain of sidebones, by isolating the portion of hoof 

 which covers the inflamed cartilage, from the remainder of the 

 horn. This he does by making a groove through the horn at 

 right angles to the longitudinal axis of the foot, beginning close 



