MOUNTED INSTRUCTION 19 



a shortening of the toe and correspondingly high heels, predispose 

 to this disease by increasing the concussion of the feet. 



In Motion: The horse should be examined while walking and trot- 

 ting. The movements of the neck and head are studied as he comes 

 toward the observer; then, as he passes by, the movements of the 

 limbs are noted as to the height to which they are raised; the bend 

 of the joints whether easy and natural or otherwise. The way in 

 which the foot lands upon the ground, whether flat, on the toe, one 

 side, or on the heel, is to be noted and considered. As the horse 

 passes from the observer the movements of the hips and hind legs 

 are noted with a view to detecting lameness in those parts. Examina- 

 tion in motion on a hard road or pavement should be made, especially 

 to bring out diseases of the feet. Then motion in deep mud or in snow 

 should be studied. If these are not available, the horse should be 

 made to step over a rail or plank held up about a foot from the ground 

 in order to detect or make more prominent possible soreness or lame- 

 ness in the shoulder or hip. 



The Lungs: Finally, the horse should be given vigorous exercise 

 on a full stomach ; for instance, a run to a heavy wagon, or a short 

 run uphill to determine whether the lungs are normal, or, in other 

 words, for the purpose of testing his wind. It is possible to partially 

 disguise abnormal breathing while the horse is at rest, but it is practi- 

 cally impossible to do so if the horse is given violent exercise, and the 

 latter should preferably be done after feeding and watering. The 

 pulse and temperature are also taken at this time. 



Raising the Foot: In preparing to raise a horse's foot never ap- 

 proach the animal suddenly, for he will not only be startled, but a 

 sudden pull at his foot will probably disturb his balance, and the lift- 

 ing will be more difficult for both man and horse. 



To raise the fore foot, the shoer stands with his back to the horse's 

 head and places his inside hand on the horse's shoulder. Then, bend- 

 ing over, he runs his hand gently down the back of the leg until the 

 fingers, with the thumb on the outside, are just above the fetlock. 

 The shoer's shoulder is pressed against the shoulder of the horse, forc- 

 ing the weight upon the other fore foot. A slight grasp of the hand on 

 the tendons is usually sufficient to induce the horse to raise the foot. 



The shoer next straddles the horse's leg and holds the foot upon 

 his knees, standing so that his body is about opposite the horse's 

 shoulder, and in close to him, so that the horse's leg is not pulled out- 

 ward in a strained position. The shoer's toes should be turned in to 

 give strength to the position. 



Raising the hind foot is performed in two different ways. In the 

 first method the shoer, standing at the horse's flank and with his back 

 to the animal's head, bends until his shoulder presses the horse's 

 thigh, runs his hand gradually down the tendons and grasps them 

 as in raising the fore foot. In the second method, the one generally 

 employed, the shoer stands as in the first method, but with his outside 



