Читать книгу The Skull of Quadruped and Bipedal Vertebrates - Djillali Hadjouis - Страница 17

Among domestic horses, with the exception of riding horses, many castrated forms that have allowed for increase in size have been used since Antiquity for multiple jobs. Those used for the transport of heavy loads or ploughing have developed severe arthropathies (osteoarthritis and/or arthritis) in the thoracolumbar spine and in the distal segments (carpals and metacarpals, tarsus and metatarsus). These osteo-articular manifestations have in some individuals stiffened entire regions (vertebral welds, carpo and tarso-metapodal welds, etc., Figures 2.5 and 2.6). Other bone diseases known to occur in horses include osteomalacia, developed especially in the brood mare during gestation, laminitis (inflammation of the flesh of the foot which deforms the hoof) most often resulting from forced labor on poor ground, recessed foot (tightening of the posterior parts of the foot) or bleeding (bruising produced by the tightening of the heels (Blanc 1983)).

Figure 2.5. Inflammatory lesions involving osteoarthritis on a horse’s lumbar spine, caused by heavy service work during the 19th century in Arcueil (draught and/or ploughing). Note the intervertebral osteophysical formation (© Hadjouis)

Figure 2.6. Inflammatory lesions involving osteoarthritis on the L4-L5 of horses, caused by heavy service work during the 19th century in Arcueil (draught and/or ploughing). Note the intervertebral osteophysical formation (© Hadjouis)

The archeological sites of the Paris Basin have yielded skeletons of horses, donkeys and hybrid forms from all periods presenting important pathologies related to various jobs.