328 THRUSH 



able. A horse that has once had corns to any considerable ex- 

 tent should, at every shoeing, have the seat of corn well pared 

 out, and the butyr of antimony applied. The seated shoe (here- 

 after to be descriDed) should be used, with a web sufficiently 

 thick to cover the place of corn, and extending as far back as it 

 can be made to do without injury to the Irog. 



Low weak heeis shoald be rarely touched with the knife, or 

 anything more be done to them than lightly to rasp them, in 

 order to give them a level surface. Where corns exist of any 

 consequence, they are a disgrace to the smith, the groom, and to 

 the owner. 



THRUSH. 



This is a discharge of offensive matter from the cleft of the 

 frog. It is inflammation of the lower surface of the sensible frog, 

 and during which pus is secreted together with, or instead of 

 horn. When the trog is in its sound state, the cleft sinks but a 

 little way into it ; but when it becomes contracted or otherwise 

 diseased, it extends m length, and penetrates even to the sensible 

 horn within, and through this unnaturally deepened fissure the 

 thrushy discharge proceeds. A very full and fleshy state of the 

 body may be a predisposing cause of thrush, but the immediate 

 and grand cause is moisture. This should never be forgotten, for 

 it will lead a great way towards the proper treatment of the dis- 

 ease. If the feet are habitually covered with any moist applica- 

 tion — ^his standing so much on his own dung is a fair example — 

 thrush will inevitably appear. It is caused by anything that in- 

 terferes with the healthy structure and action of the frog. We 

 find it in the hinder feet oftener and worse than in the fore, be- 

 cause in our stable management the hinder feet are too much 

 exposed to the pernicious eiiects of the dung and the urine, moist- 

 ening, or as it were macerating, and at the same time irritating 

 them. 



In the fore-feet, thrushes are usually connected with contrac- 

 tion. We have stated that they are both the cause and the 

 effect of contraction. The pressure on the frog from the wiring 

 in of the heels will produce pain and inflammation ; and the 

 inflammation, by the increased heat and suspended function of 

 the part, will dispose to contraction. Horses of all ages, and in 

 almost all situations, are subject to thrush. The unshod colt is 

 frequently thus diseased. 



Thrushes are net always accompanied by lameness. In a great 

 "many cases the appearance of the foot is scarcely, or not at all 

 altered, and the disease can only be detected by close examina- 

 tion, or the peculiar smell of the discharge. The frog may not 



