Common Diseases of the Horse 253 



great annoyance. The trouble may be said to be caused by defec- 

 tive action; defect in conformation, such as occurs in horses with 

 legs too long for their bodies, or those with "sickle" or "cow" 

 hocks (this causing their hind feet to be placed too far forward); 

 by slovenly driving, and not keeping the horse up to his bit; by 

 fatigue; and by neglect of attention to the feet. In the last case 

 it often happens that the feet are allowed to grow too long, and 

 the cause is obvious; or the shoes may be too large or too heavy. 

 The remedies consist of: (i) Careful and considerate driving. 

 Horses should be kept well up to their bits, and not be loosely 

 driven, with the reins on their backs in a go-as-you-please style; 

 they should not be overtired by driving too far or too fast, or put 

 behind loads they are unfitted for, (2) Condition is a most im- 

 portant factor, and it must also be remembered that "beef " (fat) 

 is not condition. (3) When the feet are responsible, if they are 

 too long they should be cut down. (4) As regards shoeing, the 

 fore shoe may have a narrow-seated web at the toe, and the hind 

 shoe made with side clips, as short in the toe as possible, and the 

 outer wall at the toe rasped down and rounded off. 



Overreach 



This is an injury to the heel of the fore foot caused by the 

 inside rim of the toe of the hind shoe. If the fore shoes are too 

 long in the branches they are often wrenched off. It is most com- 

 mon in Hunters and Thoroughbreds, and invariably happens at the 

 gallop, A mistake is often made by the wound being attributed 

 to the blow being struck by the front of the hind shoe. It should 

 be thoroughly understood that this is not so, as may be testified by 

 the wound itself, where the skin will be found detached from before 

 backwards, showing that the inside of the shoe of the hind toe 

 caused the cut in its backward action. The remedy consists in 

 hammering down the inside rim of the hind toe, so that it is quite 

 smooth and bevelled off. 



Tread or Tramp 



This is a bruise or wound of the coronet, or coronary band, 

 caused by the shoe of the opposite foot. It is most common in 

 the hind feet, especially when high narrow calkins are used, and 

 generally occurs in turning round or backing. The injury inflicted 

 may cause a clean cut which may bleed more or less freely; or 

 a crush or severe bruise may be sustained in which there is little 

 or no bleeding. In either case there may or may not be any lame- 



