252 Common Diseases of the Horse 



generally causes serious damage to the foot and other parts of 

 the limb. 



When the injury is caused by the hoof, it is the usual custom to 

 rasp away the horn, weakening the wall and making it unfit to take 

 its share in bearing weight. The following styles of shoeing arc 

 for preventive purposes: A "knocked -up shoe", or "feather- 

 edged preventer", is one with the inner branch narrow and deep, 

 and without nail holes. This is fitted quite closely to, or even 

 within, the inner wall, and the hoof rasped off to its level ; some- 

 times also the outside branch is not allowed to touch the ground, 

 thus the high narrow web of the inner branch bears the whole 

 weight. The injury occasioned can be better imagined than de- 

 scribed. In other cases the heel is removed from one side or the 

 other, or one side of the shoe made thicker or thinner, according to 

 the taste of the smith. They all cause an uneven tread, and are 

 to be strongly condemned. 



Speedy Cut 



This is a bruise or cut inflicted on the lower part of the inside 

 of the knee by the opposite fore foot. As a rule, it is more often 

 due to defective action than to improper shoeing. It also occurs 

 in young, green horses that have not learned the proper use of 

 their limbs, and in those that have become fatigued from over- 

 driving, whose muscles are unable to control the action of the 

 limbs. It must therefore be understood that " speedy cutting " as 

 the result of shoeing is comparatively rare. When due to this 

 cause, however, it is frequently found that calkins are used, or 

 that the shoe overlaps the wall on the inside of the foot. As a 

 remedy flat shoes may be tried in the former case, and if this is 

 not successful, a three-quarter shoe may be used, with, if necessary, 

 rubber bar pads. In the case where the overprominent shoe is 

 responsible, close shoeing on the inside must be practised. The 

 injury itself may be treated by cold-water douches applied con- 

 tinuously for an hour night and morning, afterwards applying 

 cold-water bandages kept wet with arnica lotion. Sometimes an 

 enlargement remains at the seat of injury, which may be reduced 

 by applying a little mercury (red) blister. 



Forging or Clicking 



This defect is caused by the toe of the hind shoe striking the 

 inner ground surface of the shoe of the fore foot of the correspond- 

 ing side. It is rare for injury to be caused, but it is a source of 



