Ossification of the interosseous ligaments between the metapodials in horses: A new recording methodology and preliminary study

This article presents a methodology for recording and quantifying the ossification of the interosseous ligaments between the metapodials in horses, including a scoring system for defining stages in the development of this lesion. The method is applied to a sample of ten Przewalski's horse skeletons from the National Museum, Prague. This case study demonstrates the nature of this lesion in a sample of unworked animals and presents a preliminary sample for comparison with archaeological assemblages. The results show that the condition can occur in animals that are not worked. They also indicate that age is an important factor in the development of the lesion. The expression of the pathology in this sample appears to be linked to how the weight of the animal acts through the legs, in that it occurs earliest, and is generally more advanced, in the areas that support a greater burden.