394 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



ness in fast driven animals. It is of but little harm to walking horses. The 

 •disease is an incurable one, though it is frequently helped by neurotomy, or 

 the division of the nerve by cutting above the seat of difficulty. 



HOESE SHOES. 



Supposing then that we have a correct idea of the natural or healthy con- 

 dition of the foot, our next great object is to keep it so, and for this purpose 

 implements familiarly known as horse shoes are much used. These are arti- 

 cles of very ancient origin, having been used in one form or another from 

 time immemorial, until now their use is universal. We might ask ourselves 

 what are they applied for? To which question there may be four answers. 



1st. To prevent too rapid wearing away of the wall. 



2d. To impart action to roadsters. 



3d. To afford a grip for draught-horses and prevent slipping. 



4th. For pathological purposes, when they modify the evil effect of 

 certain diseases. 



In shoeing but little of the sole should be pared away. The knife should 

 never do more than remove worn out structure, that is, that which has begun 

 to scale off of itself, and should never be allowed to cut the fresh, healthy 

 substance of the frog or sole, and the walls should only be pared to a level 

 with the sole. To pare the sole till it can be deflected by pressure of the 

 thumb is all wrong. 



The "heels" should never be spread or cut as that causes "contraction of 

 the heel," which, though not producing lameness, is unsightly. 



Shoes should have the upper surface flat, not beveled. A flat shoe on a 

 hoof that is pared flat excludes filth. 



Any beveling of the shoe should be done on the under or ground face, and 

 here beveling has the advantage of lessening the likelihood of balling or of 

 picking up stones. 



The bearing of the shoe should be on the forward part, otherwise corns 

 will result. 



DISEASES. 



Prof. Grange continued with a description of the disease of the horse's 

 foot known as laminitis, of which a full account will be found in bulletin 

 No. 25 on page 166 of this volume. 



Mr. : Will you please tell us what thrush is? 



Prof. Grang^ Thrush is an inflammation producing suppuration in a 

 small gland in the center of the fatty frog. It is caused by standing in a wet 

 stall or in marshy places. If it continues unchecked it may destroy some 

 of the structure, but it rarely causes lameness, and the inflammation rarely 

 •extends beyond the fatty frog. It is only likely to give trouble in case the 

 discharge of matter is dammed up. It is more frequent in the hind feet 

 than in the front feet. The remedy is to wash out and dust the sore once 

 or twice with calomel. In case of much granulation a cautious person 

 might use butter of antimony. 



Mr. W. J. G. Dean : Do you approve of the application of hot shoes to 

 the hoof? 



Prof. Grange: If done with moderation it shows how the shoe bears on 

 the foot and need not be harmfi.l. Of course it can be put on so hot and 

 held so long as to dry out the hoof and cause it to crack. 



