CHAPTER V 



THE HORSE LAMENESS AND SHOEING 



IN treating lameness in animals, it must be remem- 

 bered that one of the most important essentials to re- 

 covery is rest. There are few forms of lameness that 

 can be treated successfully when the animal is at work, 

 especially when that work is responsible for the lame- 

 ness. In treating lameness, the affected limb is to be 

 kept as quiet as possible until some time after the 

 symptoms have disappeared, in order that the diseased 

 or injured tissues can regain their healthy condition. 



Turning horses out to pasture for some weeks is 

 often all that is necessary. This takes the animal off 

 the hard floors and roads upon which much time or- 

 dinarily is spent. In many cases, if the cause of the 

 lameness can be located and removed, a good blister 

 put on the affected part, the shoes taken off and the 

 horse turned out to pasture, may result in a complete 

 recovery in a short time. When there is danger of the 

 animal's breaking the hoofs badly while in rough pas- 

 ture, or from stamping flies, the hoofs can be pro- 

 tected with light tips. 



In many cases in which the feet of roadsters have 

 been injured by fast driving on hard roads, light work 

 on soft plowed ground, barefooted or with tip shoes, 

 will often take the place of a run at pasture. The 



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