RING-BONE. 
610 
shoeing, such as unequal paring of the foot, are the cause, their removal 
will be followed by diminution or disappearance of lameness, but the 
exostoses are never completely absorbed. The prognosis is naturally 
unfavourable in anchylosis of the joint. The rhachitic form always 
develops slowly, and is permanent, though it never causes lameness ; if 
lameness exists, it may safely be ascribed to other changes, which must 
therefore be considered in delivering a prognosis. 
Traumatic ring-bone, consequent on local inflammation near the 
coronet-joint, only causes lameness in the early stages, and as a rule this 
afterwards disappears, but large exostoses near the joint may produce 
permanent lameness. 
The forecast is unfavourable in severe chronic lameness; marked 
atrophy of muscle is likewise a bad sign. 
Needless to say the prospect is less hopeful in hacks than in ordinary 
working-horses, though horses with large ring-bones have been known to 
perform excellently even as steeple-chasers. Special care is required in 
young patients, particularly if ring-bone develop before the animal has 
done much work. If, under such circumstances, the lameness is obstinate, 
there is little prospect of the animal ever proving useful. On the other 
hand, old horses which have shown ring-hones for a long time without 
going lame are likely to continue sound, unless exceptionally severe work 
is demanded of them. It is common experience that ring-bones in hind 
feet less frequently cause lameness than those in front. 
Treatment. Eing-bone can be prevented by care in the selection 
of breeding animals, by proper use and treatment of the young animal, 
by careful paring of the hoof, and later b}^ proper shoeing. In the 
articular form, nothing whatever is gained by ordinary treatment; 
neurectomy alone is likely to remove lameness, but even it fails when the 
joint has become fixed. 
In periarticular ring-bone attention must be directed to preventing 
sprains and to securing a proper distribution of pressure in the articula¬ 
tions. The hoof should be carefully pared to allow the weight to be 
distributed regularly in the coronet-joint, and to avoid strain of its 
ligaments. The parts of the wall which first meet the ground when 
moving should, therefore, be shortened. Though attention must be 
directed to the sides of the wall, yet the bearing of the toe should not be 
overlooked. Over-long heels should be shortened; some practitioners 
recommend plain shoes (i.e., without calkins), thin at the heels; or, if 
the heels be too low, a shoe with calkins, or better with thick heels. 
As a rule, it is sufficient to properly pare the foot. Care must be 
taken that the pastern lies parallel with the walls of the hoof; if not, 
it must be caused to do so. This is necessary on two grounds: firstly, 
because the position of the pastern is often changed in the disease in 
