318 SAND-CRACK. 



crust, sometimes natural, but ofteiier the consequeiwe of mis 

 management or disease, whicll, in spite of every means adopted^ 

 will probably be the source of future annoyance. On a hoof 

 that has once been thus divided, no dependence can be placed, 

 unless, by great care, the natural suppleness of the horn has 

 been restored and is retained. 



Sand-crack may happen in an instant, from a false step or 

 over-exertion, and therefore a horse, although he may spring a 

 sand-crack within an hour after the purchase, cannot be returned 

 on that account. 



The crack sometimes does not penetrate through the horn. It 

 then causes no lameness ; nevertheless, it must not be neglected. 

 It shows that there is brittleness, which should induce the pur- 

 chaser to pause : and, if proper means are not taken, it will 

 generally soon penetrate to the quick. It should be pared or 

 rasped lairly out, and if the paring or rasping has been deep 

 the foot should be strengthened by a coating of pitch, with coarse 

 tape bound over it, and a second coating of pitch covering this. 



If tiie crack has penetrated through the crust, and lameness 

 has ensued, the case is more serious. It must be carefully ex- 

 amined, in order to ascertain that no dirt or sand has got into 

 it ; the edges must be more considerably thinned, and if any 

 fungus (proud-flesh) is begimiing to protrude through the crack, 

 and is imprisoned there, it must be destroyed by the application 

 of the butyr (chloride) of antimony. This is preferable to the 

 cautery (hot-iron) because the edges of the horn will not be 

 thickened or roughened, and thus become a source of after-irri- 

 tation. The firing iron must then be run deeply across, above, 

 and below the crack ; a pledget of dry tow being placed in the 

 crack, in and over it, and the whole bound down as tightly as 

 possible. On the third day the part should be examined, and 

 the caustic again applied, if necessary : but if the crack is dry, 

 and defended by a hard horny crust, the sooner the pitch plaster 

 is put on the better. 



The most serious case is, when, from tread or neglect, the 

 coronet is divided. The growth of horn proceeds from the 

 coronary ligament, and unless this ligament is sound, the horn 

 will grow down disunited. The method to be here adopted, is 

 to run the back of the firing-iron over the coronet where it is 

 divided. Some inflammation will ensue ; and when the scab 

 produced by the cautery peels o^, as it will in a few days, 

 the division will be obliterated, and sound and united horn 

 will grow down. When there is sufficient horn above the 

 crack, a horizontal line should be drawn with a firing-iron 

 between the sound horn and the crack. The connexion between 

 the sound part and the crack will thus be prevented, and the 



