INJUEIES FROM SHOEING 453 



per annum, of which 50 are due to nails. These statistics show unmis- 

 takably that array-shoeing is carefully done, and there is no reason why 

 the work should not be done equally well in civil life. The direct injuries 

 resulting from shoeing may be classed under three heads — those resulting 

 from nails, those from clips, and those from irregular pressure of the shoe. 



Nails. — Lameness may be caused by a nail being driven too near 

 the sensitive foot without absolute penetration of the " quick ". This 

 cause of lameness is called " a bind", and may not be evident for a day 

 or two, or even a week, after the time of shoeing. In every lameness 

 of the horse which cannot be accounted for by a visible lesion the foot 

 should be examined, and especially when it is noticed within a few days 

 of shoeing. To detect a foot-lameness the shoe must be removed and 

 the hoof tested all over by firmly pressing it with pincers. When a 

 " bind" is detected before lameness is very acute, removal of the offend- 

 ing nail, rest, and warm fomentation are sufficient to prevent further 

 injury. When a "bind" is allowed to continue, inflammation is set up 

 in the foot, and pus may form. Then a serious condition exists which 

 requires veterinary attendance. Another form of injury results from a 

 nail being driven directly into the sensitive foot. This is usually followed 

 by immediate lameness, but its gravity depends upon the extent of injury, 

 and upon whether the nail carries with it any dirt or septic material. 

 As a rule the farrier knows when he has "stabbed" or "pricked" a horse, 

 and withdi'aws the off'ending nail at once. If suppuration does not follow 

 a prick its effects are very temjDorary, but the formation of matter within 

 the hoof leads to very grave results, in some cases to a fatal termination. 

 Continued work is the greatest aggravation of injuries caused by nails, 

 and therefore all such cases should be attended to at once, and rest strictly 

 enforced. 



Clips may cause lameness by being hammered down too tightly. The 

 most serious injury traceable to clips occurs from a shoe becoming loose 

 and only partially detached from the foot, so as to permit a horse to 

 tread on the clip. A large punctured wound results, which may endanger 

 the animal's life. Rest and perfect cleanliness are essential to recovery. 



Uneven Pressure of the Shoe causes the sensitive foot to become 

 bruised. The .sole of a ffat foot is frequently bruised by pressure of the 

 shoe just behind the toe. AVhen detected early enough removal of pressure 

 is all that is necessary. The most common seat of injury, due to bruising 

 by the shoe, is the inner heel of the fore foot. This is known as a 

 "corn", but is in no way analogous to the condition on human feet 

 described by the same word. A "corn" in the horse is simply a bruise 

 of the sensitive foot resulting from uneven pressure by the heel of the 



