312 THE HORSE 



exists, holds out some hope of being cured ; but when once 

 actual caries of the bone has commenced there is no longer 

 any chance of recovery. At the beginning it is neces- 

 sary to relieve the frog from all pressure, situated as it is 

 under the seat of mischief, and if the inflammation yields to 

 the treatment adopted the horse in a few days may move 

 again with freedom. The shoe should be sprung a little at 

 the heel to relieve the pressure, and until the lameness is 

 lessened the frog should be kept from touching the ground. 

 Cold swabs should be wrapped round the foot and kept con- 

 stantly wet, while the horse is allowed to rest in a loose box, 

 with quite short litter for bedding. Blistering the coronet 

 should be practised, and bleeding from the toe is a remedy 

 which may well be tried. When good results follow, and the 

 horse appears to be sound again, it is advisable to turn it out 

 in a marshy meadow ; but if that is not practicable it should 

 for some time only be exercised on soft ground, until the cure 

 appears to be complete. 



When affected by navicular lameness the horse, when 

 standing at rest, flexes the fetlock of the affected limb, and 

 raises the heel, the foot resting on the point of the toe. 



Laminitis. 



Laminitis is associated with a considerable degree of fever, 

 and almost invariably both feet are affected, which causes 

 the horse to step with the same even action — however short 

 it may be — although it is unwilling to move at all. The feet 

 are intensely hot, and the horse endeavours to throw all its 

 weight upon its heels. Unless the attack is speedily cured 

 the inflammation is likely to cause structural changes in the 

 feet, causing permanent unsoundness. 



In chronic cases a horse is unable to do fast work, but 

 slow work is beneficial, such as light labour on a farm. 



The usual treatment is to adopt the ordinary means for 

 reducing fever, to remove the shoes, to relieve the congestion 

 by bleeding at the toe, to pare out the soles and apply cold 

 poultices, and to wrap sw^abs round the feet, which are kept 

 constantly wet by pouring cold water over them. 



