her saddle horses, and
in runners and trotters.

Sidebones are peculiar to the fore feet, yet they occasionally develop
in the hind feet, where they are of little importance since they cause
no lameness. In many instances sidebones are of slow growth and, being
unaccompanied with acute inflammation, they cause no lameness until such
time as, by reason of their size, they interfere with the action of the
joint. (Plate XXXIV, fig. 4.)

_Causes._--Sidebones often grow in heavy horses without any apparent
injury, and their development has been attributed to the over-expansion
of the cartilages caused by the great weight of the animal. Blows and
other injuries to the cartilages may set up an inflammatory process
which ends in the formation of these bony growths. High-heeled shoes,
high calks, and long feet are always classed among the conditions which
may excite the growth of sidebones. They are often seen in connection
with contracted heels, ringbones, navicular disease, punctured wounds of
the foot, quarter cracks, and occasionally as a sequel to founder.

_Symptoms._--In the earlier stages of the disease, if inflammation is
present, the only evidence of the trouble to be detected is a little
fever over the seat of the affected cartilage and a slight lameness. In
the lameness of sidebones the toe of the foot first strikes the ground
and the step is shorter than natural. The subject comes out of the
stable stiff and sore, but the gait is more free after exercise.

Since the deposit of bony matter often begins in that part of the
cartilage where it is attached to the coffin bone, the diseased process
may exist for some time before the bony growth can be seen or felt.
Later, however, the cartilage can be felt to have lost its elastic
character, and by standing in front of the animal a prominence of the
coronary region at the quarters can be seen. Occasionally these bones
become so large as to bulge the hoof outward, and by pressing on the
joint they so interfere with locomotion that the animal becomes entirely
useless.

_Treatment._--So soon as the disease can be diagnosed active treatment
should be adopted. Cold-water bandages are to be used for a few days to
relieve the fever and soreness.

The improvement consequent on the use of these simple measures often
leads to the belief that the disease has recovered; but with a return to
work the lameness, fever, etc., reappears. For this reason the use of
blisters, or, bett