THE PRACTICAL HORSESHOER. 213 



Drop Sole or Pumice Foot. 



Drop sole arises from various causes. It may come from 

 founder or laminitis, or it may come with some horses from 

 heavy work and improper shoeing-. The case I have in 

 view now arose from the last-named cause. The horse on 

 a heavy pull would do his work with the toe of the shoe. 

 He had been examined and shod by a great man^^ smiths, 

 some of whom would call the trouble by one name, some by 

 another. The owner labored under the impression that the 

 horse was hoof-bound. I made an examination and found 

 the hoof tender and broken loose at and around the point 

 of the frog, the toe being long and showing a tendency to 

 turn up. The horse pulled with his toe or the toe of the 

 shoe, and the toe of the hoof being long, the strain caused 

 the back part of the laminae to elongate, and the weight 

 pressed against the sole causing it to flatten and draw the 

 horny sole from the sensitive or fleshy sole. The crust or 

 outside wall had lost its proper form and become flatter, 

 appearing as if it were forced upward from the ground. 



So much as regards the cause of the disease and the ap- 

 pearance of the hoof. Now as to the shoeing. It is first 

 necessary to shorten the toe as much as possible without 

 injury, as the sole in this condition is weak. Care must be 

 taken not to cut or pai^e in any Ava}^ more than is necessary 

 for the proper levels of the shoe. When the foot is thus 

 prepared a shoe, such as is shown in Fig. 113, page 202, 

 is to be applied. B^^ having the toe A set well back 

 on the shoe, the center of gravity will fall more directly 

 on the foot and leg bones, and the strain will be taken off 

 the injured parts. Reset the shoes 'every four weeks, and 

 in a few shoeings the sole will return to its natural con- 

 caved form. Any application to promote the growth of the 

 hoof is good. Before the application of this shoe the horse. 



