112 The Management and Treatment of the Horse, 



is produced by ponderous heavy shoes with which they 

 are shod, and the large nails with which they are neces- 

 sarily attached to the foot; these produce contraction, 

 which produces thrush, and thrush produces canker. 

 Thus neglect is the primary cause of nine-tenths of the 

 so-called hereditary diseases of the foot. The dirty 

 state of the stables and the neglect of the feet are a 

 fertile source of this complaint. Cleanliness and atten- 

 tion to the horse's feet are a preventive which is far 

 before all known methods of cure. When once this 

 disease has been induced it is extremely difficult to 

 cure, and it is advisable to call in the aid of the veteri- 

 nary surgeon. Although I have found the same treat- 

 ment I adopt for seedy toe to be very effectual, I will 

 here quote a few words from Mr Brown upon this 

 disease. He says, " Besides the hereditary predisposition 

 of work-horses to canker, in order to give them foot- 

 hold it becomes necessary to raise the heels of the hind 

 feet so much that all pressure on the frog is done away 

 with, which has the effect of destroying its functions, 

 and consequently rendering it liable to disease." This 

 is most erroneous, for I contend it is not necessary to 

 put heavy shoes on the cart horse, neither is it necessary 

 to put on large caulk ings to give him a foot-hold ; the 

 animal has a far better foot-hold if shod plain with his 

 frog on the ground, to allow that natural wedge to take 

 the place that nature evidently intended it for, i.e., the 

 expansion of the toot, and to prevent the horse slipping. 



The American farmer does not have his horses shod 

 upon the absurd principle of high caulkings as we find 

 them in this country, yet their horses have as heavy 



