REPORT ON THE DISEASES OF FARM HORSES. 341 



which our town horses are shod induces such a wear of the feet, 

 coupled with, and greatly as an effect of the absurd system of 

 paring and rasping, that one is surprised how the animals can 

 bear their own weight, much less perform the severe running 

 they are called upon to do on the hard stones. But a more absurd 

 system still remains to be told. After the whole reduction of 

 the hoof, by knife and rasp, leather soles and tar are used to pro- 

 tect the foot. First break the animal's head and subsequently 

 provide a plaster. In the town of Manchester, Liverpool, New- 

 castle-on-Tyne, and other large towns, this prevails to an unusual 

 extent. 



Fortunately for the farm horse, he wears but few shoes, and 

 therefore goes seldom to the smith, who as fortunately cares so 

 little about shoeing generally, as to avoid the trouble of paring 

 too much. 



Corns. — Corns are the manifest signs in that portion of the 

 sole of the fore foot, called the implex or heels, of an injury com- 

 mitted on the sensitive structures beneath, principally the sensi- 

 tive sole, it is usually stated. Dissections, however, which I 

 have made, and investigations carried on, demonstrate the impli- 

 cation of other and even harder structures being included. The 

 discolouration is the result of the changes within, and the whole 

 mostly a result of too great use of the drawing knife and rasp, 

 &c, in shoeing, conjoincly with which we have also hard work 

 on hard stones, &c, &c. Farm horses are seldom shod, their 

 feet are not subject to these periodically and regular inflictions, 

 and are, therefore, less liable to corns than town horses. To 

 this they owe their immunity. 



Treatment. — Provide a proper and level bearing for the shoe, 

 preserve the integrity of the hoof ; abolish the foolish system of 

 paring out the corn, give the horse something to stand upon in 

 the shape of his naturally strong hoof, and keep it strong by a 

 regular dressing of hoof ointment once or twice a week. 



The secret of prevention as well as cure of corns lies in a good 

 preservative system of shoeing ; if that cannot be effected by the 

 smith who has the care of the animal's feet, no dressing whatever 

 will. I have ridden a mare some years, up to the present time, 

 badly affected with corns in both fore feet. The preservative 

 system of shoeing has been fully carried out, and upon that alone 

 I have to base her great ability to carry me over the many miles 

 of hill and dale, often 40 or 50 miles a-day. 



Writers on the horse's foot usually recommend a system of 

 paring away, because they know of nothing else to advance. It 

 is certainly very easy also to advocate such treatment, and is a 

 sure indication of the small amount of practical accp-iaintance 

 they possess of the art, as well as true nature and physiology of 

 the foot itself. 



