THE PRACTI€AL HORSESHOER. 



211 



What is a Founder? 



The trouble popularly known as " founder " is described 

 in Avorks on veterinary surgery as laminitis, or an inflam- 

 mation of the foot. This disease appears in two forms. In 

 the simple form the sensitive lamina of the foot and the 

 equally sensitive sole are affected, while in the more severe 

 form the bones of the foot are also included: Among- the 

 many causes of tliis disease, perhaps the most common is 

 the severe concussion from fast driving ofi hard roads, over- 



Fig. 118— Form o£ Shoe for Foundered Horses. 



exertion and over-feeding, and drinking cold Avater when 

 the horse is heated . The trea tment recommended bv eminent 

 authorities, consists in the administration of mild purga- 

 tives : tincture of aconite in small and repeated doses, as a 

 febrifuge, with poultices to the foot in the early stages of 

 the disease and cold applications later. Use a form of shoe 

 such as is shown in Fig. 118. ^'As early as possible, get 

 lightly nailed on the feet affected, extremely stout, wide- 

 webbed and long-bai' shoes, made from iron about twice 

 the ordinaiy thickness that the particular horse's shoes are 

 made from; make them graduall,y thin fi'om behind the 

 quarters, so that the heel part of the shoes is wide and thin, 

 and fitted rocker fashion, which enables the horse to throw 

 his weight where he tries to, much better than he can in 

 ordinary shoes or without any ; that is, off the pedal bone 



