MODERN BLACKSMiTHING 155 



CORNS 



Corns are very common to horses' feet, a majority 

 of all cases of lameness is due to this trouble. 



Corns are the result of shoes being- allowed to stay 

 on too long. The shoe, in such a case grows under 

 the foot and presses on the sole and corns are formed. 

 Even pressure of the shoe and sometimes too heavy 

 bearing on the heel causes corns. Gravel wedging in 

 under the shoe or between the bar and the wall is 

 sometimes the cause of corns. Leaving the heel and 

 quarters too high, whereby they will bend under and 

 press against the sole, is another cause of corns. 



The seat of corns is generally in the sole of the foot 

 at the quarter or heels between the bar and the wall, 

 at the angle made by the wall and bar. 



Anything that will bruise the underlying and sensi- 

 tive membrane of the sole will produce corn. This 

 bruise gives rise to soreness, the sole becomes blood 

 colored and reddish ; if bad it might break out, either 

 at the bottom or the junction of the hoof and hair or 

 coronet, forming a quittor. 



Cut out the corn or red sole clear down. If the 

 corn is the result of contraction pare down the hoof 

 and sole, put the foot into linseed poultice that is 

 warm, for twenty-four hours, then renew it. If the 

 corn is deep, be sure to cut down enough to let the 

 matter out. It is a good thing to pour into the hole 

 hot pine tar. In shoeing the bearing should be taken 

 off the quarter or from the wall over the corn by rasp- 

 ing it down so that it will not touch the shoe. A bar 



