APPLYING THE SHOE. 85 



country — though perhaps it is most conspicuous in town- 

 shod horses. 



One of the most serious results of this excessive mu- 

 tilation of the lower part of the wall is the production of 

 a chronic form of laminitis, marked by slight subsidence 

 half-way down the front of the foot and to a less degree 

 at the side, with an abrupt rounded protrusion of the part 

 that is always exposed to rasping. 



This deformity, which causes pain and altered gait in 

 the majority of cases, arises from the irritation caused to 

 the sensitive parts within by the removal of their natural 

 protection, but more particularly from the fact that the 

 nails, to retain the shoe, must be driven through a sufficient 

 amount of the soft horn, and this brings them so near the 

 living parts that they press upon them to such a degree, 

 as to set up an acute or subacute inflammation that leads 

 to this deformity and its attendant lameness. 



Cases of this description will be found to be by no 

 means uncommon among the horses in our streets, and for 

 many years I have been able to trace the evil effects of 

 the practice irom their commencement until the animal 

 was a hopeless cripple. 



When the coachman, groom, or farrier's fancy causes 

 the rasp to be carried above the clenches to the top of the 

 hoof, then of course the injury is greatly aggravated. 



The thin semi-translucent horn that extends in a some- 

 what wide, whitish-colored band around the upper part 

 of the foot, is chiefly intended by Nature, I think, to 

 protect the fibres of the wall from the effects of external 

 physical influences, such as heat and dryness, while they 

 are being secreted, or so immature as to be incapable of 

 resisting: these influences — for it will be remembered that 

 the wall is formed at the coronet, and this covering guar- 

 antees not only the integrity of the newly-made horn- 

 tubes, but also maintains the secreting vessels that enter 



