Ring - bone 233 
is sometimes caused by a sharp-shod horse stepping 
on its mate so as to injure the joint. 
The symptoms of ring-bone are severe lameness, 
with inflammation of the joint as shown by heat, pain 
Fig. 46. 
Ring-bone enlargement. 
grass.” When the joint 
bone is said to be cured. 
even though he is cured, 
and swelling. These symp- 
toms are followed by a bony 
bunch, thrown out usually 
toward the side of the joint; 
or the exostosis may form a 
ring nearly around the joint. 
The treatment for ring- 
bone is the same as that for 
spavin, except that firing is 
to be resorted to earlier. 
Ring-bones occur on a much 
more important joint than the 
spavins. More motion takes 
place at the pastern-joint, 
and as a result ring-bones 
are more difficult to cure. 
The treatment, as commonly 
expressed by horsemen, is to 
“fire, blister and turn out to 
is welded together, the ring- 
A horse having a ring-bone, 
has a decided limp, owing to 
the welding together of the bones of such an important 
joint. Such animals are useful only for performing 
slow work. 
