Veterinary notes for horse owners : a manual of horse medicine and surgery . d knee. We are all aware of the tendency which the pastern, especiallyof horses used at fast paces, has to become unduly upright fromthe effects of work. If we examine the joint, we shall find thatthis upright condition of the pastern is owing to inability toextend the joint to a normal extent; in other words, to bringthe fetlock pad sufficiently near the ground. As the action ofa limb in producing locomotion is due to the difference betweenits length when its joints are bent and its length when they STIFF JOINTS. 273
Veterinary notes for horse owners : a manual of horse medicine and surgery . d knee. We are all aware of the tendency which the pastern, especiallyof horses used at fast paces, has to become unduly upright fromthe effects of work. If we examine the joint, we shall find thatthis upright condition of the pastern is owing to inability toextend the joint to a normal extent; in other words, to bringthe fetlock pad sufficiently near the ground. As the action ofa limb in producing locomotion is due to the difference betweenits length when its joints are bent and its length when they STIFF JOINTS. 273 are straightened out; loss of play in the fetlock joint (oruprightness of pastern) is always followed by more or lessloss of power of locomotion. In light saddle-horses whichare sound and which have good action, the fetlock pad, inthe gallop or fast canter, should come nearly down to the ground,as in Fig. 11 (p. 39), in which the pastern makes an angle ofabout 120° with the cannon bone. The maximum direct flexion(bending) of a healthy fetlock joint is shown in Fig. Fig. I02.—Alternate position assumed in rheumatoid arthritis of stifle. As a rule, when inflammation from work or sprain (which arethe cases we are at present considering) occurs in a joint sufli-ciently to permanently impair its power of movement, we shallfind adhesions about the part, and, probably also, shortening ofthe ligaments which antagonise the extension of the joint, andwhich, in the case of the fetlock, check the descent of the fetlockpad. The further progress of these cases will generally be depo-sition of bone about the part, and the gradual conversion intobone of the fibrous structmes and cartilages of the joint. Areturn to soundness is possible only when the articular cartilages(p. 269) have remained intact, and when any bony deposit whichmay have taken place, is so situated as not to interfere with themovement of the joint. At the same time, our surgical interfer-ence need not be restricted
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