398 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



is soft, moist, and elastic to a remarkable degree. It is the function 

 of the frog to destroy shock and to preAent slipping. 



The sensitive lamina? are thin plates of soft tissue covering the en- 

 tire anterior surface of the coffin bone. They are present in great 

 numbers, and by fitting into corresponding grooves on the inner sur- 

 face of the horn of the wall the union of the soft and horny tissues is 

 made complete. (Plate XXXII, fig. 1.) 



The f)lantar cushion is a thick pad of fibrous tissue placed behind 

 and under the navicular and coffin bones and resting on the sole and 

 frog, for the purpose of receiving the downward pressure of the col- 

 umn of bones and to destroy shock. (Plate XXXII, fig. 4.) 



The lateral cartilages are attached, one on each side, to the wings 

 of the coffin bone by their inferior borders. They are thin plates of 

 fibro-cartilage, and their function is to assist the frog and adjacent 

 structures to regain their proper position after having been displaced 

 by the weight of the body while the foot rested on the ground. (Plate 

 XXXII, fig. 2.) 



FAULTS OF CONFORMATION. 



A large percentage of horses have feet which are not perfect in 

 conformation, and as a consequence they are especially predisposed to 

 certain injuries and diseases. 



Flatfoot is that condition in which the sole has little or no con- 

 vexity. It is a peculiarity common to some breeds, especially heavy, 

 lymphatic animals raised on low, marshy soils. It is confined to the 

 fore feet, which are generally broad, low^-heeled, and with a wall less 

 upright than is seen in the perfect foot. 



In flatfoot there can be little or no elasticity in the sole, for the 

 reason that it has no arch, and the weight of the animal is received on 

 the entire plantar surface, as it rests upon the ground instead of on 

 the wall. For these reasons such feet are particularly liable to bruises 

 of the sole, corns, pumiced sole, and excessive suppuration when the 

 process is once established. Horses with flatfoot should be shod with a 

 shoe having a w^'de web, pressing on the wall only, while the heels and 

 frog are never to be pared. Flatfoot generally has weak walls, and as 

 a consequence the nails of the shoe are readily loosened and the shoe 

 cast. 



Clubfoot is a term applied to such feet as have the walls set nearly 

 perpendicular. When this condition is present the heels are high, the 

 fetlock joint is thrown forward, or knuckles, and the weight of the 

 animal is received on the toes. Many mules are clubf ooted, especially 

 behind, where it seems to cause little or no inconvenience. Severe 

 cases of clubfoot may be cured by cutting the tendons, but as a rule 

 special shoeing is the only measure of relief that can be adopted. The 

 toe should not be pared, but the heels are to be lowered as much as 



