LAMINITIS 607 



becomes more shambling every day, and he cannot make a sound trot on 

 any hard road, especially with a weight on his hack. In many cases a horse 

 with chronic laminitis can run in hand sound enough for an ordinary 

 observer ; but when the extra weight of a rider is placed on him the feet 

 cannot bear the pain, and the gait is shambling in the extreme. Such 

 animals have a strong propensity to save their toes, and prefer (if their 

 shoulders will allow it) bringing their heels to the ground first, so that, 

 although their action is excessively low and shuffling, they seldom fall. 

 An experienced horseman at once detects this peculiar style of going, and 

 condemns its possessor for laminitis. Indeed, it may be assumed as a rule, 

 that wherever the heel is put carefully down upon the ground with low 

 action, the foot is the subject of laminitis to some extent. When the heel 

 is naturally brought to the ground first, the knee is well bent, and the foot 

 is raised high in the air ; but in process of time work tells on it, the laminae 

 become inflamed, and then the action is reduced in height, and the feet are 

 moved in the manner peculiar to foundered horses, including those which 

 before they were foundered perhaps exhibited " toe action," or, at all events, 

 a level fall of the foot. This state of disease ought to be well studied, and 

 compared with the remarks on sound action at page 7 et seq., which it 

 will serve to illustrate and explain. The foot itself is changed in form, and 

 the toe and sole have more or less altered their relations, as explained 

 already. Sometimes there is a large space or cavity between the outer 

 surface and the inner, shown at 7, Fig. 104, page 605. This hollow in the 

 crust is more or less cellular, and the disease is called a " seedy toe," but 

 for what reason I am at a loss to know. The sole, moreover, is always 

 either flatter than natural or absolutely convex, and its horn is brittle and 

 spongy, constituting what is termed the "pumiced foot." The frog is 

 generally large and spongy ; and on placing a straight-edge across the shoe, 

 from heel to heel, it is found to touch that part, or nearly so, indicating 

 that the relations between it and the crust, as well as the sole, are 

 altogether changed from a natural state. The laminte are no longer slings 

 for the foot, but the whole pressure is taken by the parts lying beneath the 

 pedal or coffin-bone and the navicular bone. Such being the symptoms^ 

 the next thing is to consider what can be done % If the disease is of long 

 standing, little hope can be given of a perfect recovery. The shape of the 

 external parts may be partially restored, but the internal delicate structures 

 no longer have the power of performing their offices \ and the elastic action 

 of the horse suffering from the effects of laminitis can seldom be restored on 

 hard ground. After proper treatment he may, and generally does, go on 

 turf well ; but either on hard ground or on plough (on the latter of which, 

 though soft enough for the laminte, the sole has to bear considerable 

 pressure) he is dreadfully sore and lame. This is shown after all inflamma- 

 tion has ceased, the foot being as cool as possible, and sometimes exhibiting 

 very slight evidences of previous mischief. In treating such cases, if there 

 is no heat or other sign of inflammation, bleeding and similar lowering 

 measures will be of no avail. They may be required soon enough, it is true, 

 for a foundered foot is always in danger of inflammation when battered ; 

 but until symptoms of this kind of mischief are exhibited it is better to 

 avoid all depletory measures. At the same time, everything which will 

 tend to keep off increased action should be avoided ; the horse should be 



