Side-bones

Side-bones are enlargements situated above the quarters of a horse's feet, resulting from the conversion into bone of the elastic lateral cartilages. They occur mostly in heavy draught horses with upright pasterns, causing some stiffness, but, unless when of rapid growth, little lameness, though they are accounted amongst the defects that render a horse 'unsound.' They are treated at first by cold applied continually, until heat and tenderness are removed, when blistering or firing must be resorted to, and removal of pressure by shoeing with a 'bar shoe.'