OSSIFICATION WEAKNESS OF THE FOOT. 331 



these means will succeed, if the disease is capable of cure. It 

 is proper to resort to neurotomy, if the means of cure are per- 

 sisted in. Medicine is not of much avail in the cure of canker, 

 but as it sometimes alternates with other diseases, a course of 

 alteratives or diuretics may be administered, when the cure is 

 nearly completed. 



OSSIFICATION OF THE CARTILAGES. 



The cartilages embedded in the heels of the feet from bruises, 

 sprains, &c., are subject to inflammation, and the result of that 

 inflammation is that the cartilages are absorbed, and bone sub- 

 stituted in their stead. This is common in heavy draught-horses, 

 particularly as they are used on paved streets. 



No evident inflammation of the foot, or great, or perhaps even 

 perceptible lameness, accompanies this change ; a mere slight 

 degree of stiffiiess may have been observed, which, in a horse of 

 more rapid pace,-w^ould have been lameness. Even when the 

 change is completed, there is not in many cases anything more 

 than a slight increase of stiflhess, little or not at all interfering 

 with the usefulness of the horse. When this altered structure 

 appears in the lighter horse, the lameness is more decided, and 

 means should be taken to arrest the progress of the change. 

 These are blisters or firing ; but, after the parts have become 

 bony, no operation will restore the cartilage. Some benefit, how- 

 ever, will be derived from the use of leather soles. Advantage 

 has resulted from bar-shoes in conjunction with leather. 



Connected with ringbone the lameness may be very great 

 This has been spoken of in page 268. 



WEAKNESS OF THE FOOT. 



This is more accurately a bad formation, than a disease ; often, 

 indeed, the result of disease, but in many instances the natural 

 construction of the foot. The term, tveak foot is familiar to every 

 horseman, and the consequence is too severely felt by all who 

 have to do with horses. In the slanting of the crust from the 

 coronet to the toe, a less angle is almost invariably formed, 

 amounting probably to not more than forty instead of forty-five 

 degrees ; and, after the horse has been worked for one or two 

 years the line is not straight, but a little indented or hollow, 

 midway between the coronet and the toe. This has been des- 

 cribed as the accompaniment of pumiced feet, but it is often seen 

 in weak feet, that, although they might become pumiced by 

 severity of work, do not otherwise have the sole convex. The 

 crust is not only less oblique than '.t ought to be, but it has not 



