HORSESHOEING. 



liy John W. Adams, A. 15.. V. M., 



ProfCHHur of Surf/cry and Lecturer on Shoeing, Veterinary l)t partment, 



I'nirersitii of Pennsylvania. 



I5u(l and iiulitTerent shoeing; so frecjiK'ntly loads to diseases of the 

 feet and in irre<xularities of <j:ait. ^vhi(•h may render a hoise nnservice- 

 able, that it has been thou<;ht appropriate to conclude this hook with 

 a brief chapter on the principles involved in shoeing; healthy hoofs. 



In unfolding: this subject in the limited space at my disposal, T can 

 only hope to <;ive the intelli<j;ent horse owner a suHicient number of 

 facts, based on experience and upon the anatomy and physiology of 

 the foot and leg. to enable him to a\oid the more serious conse- 

 <iuences of improper shoeing. 



Let us first examine this vital mechani.sm, the foot, and learn some- 

 thing of its structure and of the natural movements of its component 

 paits, that we may be prepared to recognize deviations from the 

 normal and to apply the proper corrective. 



GROSS ANATOMY OF THE FOOT. 



d'ls. XXXII-XNXIV I 



The bones of the foot are four in niimbei-, three of which — the 

 long pastern, .short pastern, and coftin bone, placed end to end — form 

 a continuous sti-aight column passing downward and forward from 

 the fetlock joint to the ground. A small accessory bone, the navic- 

 ular, or ''shuttle.'* bone, lies crosswise in the foot between the wings 

 of the coftin bone and forms a part of the joint surface of the latter. 

 The .short pastern projects about l.l inches above the hoof and ex- 

 tends about an e<|Ual distance to it. (.""^ee also l)age 3'J."».) 



The pastern and the coflln bone are held together by strong fibrous 

 cords passing between each two bones and place<l at the sides .so as 

 not to interfere with the forward and l)ackward movement of the 

 bones. The joints are therefore hinge joints, though imperfect, 

 because, while the chief movements are those of extension and flexion 

 in a single plane, some slight rotation and lateral movements are 

 possible. 



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