LAMENESS AND DISEASES, ETC. 157 



sensitive sole, called villitis, which may diiFuse itself to the 1am- 

 inoe, producing laminitis ; and this progressing may involve the 

 coronary cushion in a process of hardening and thickening which 

 may terminate in coronitis — an ossification of this organ (simi- 

 lar to that of the lateral cartilages w^hen side bones are forming), 

 which may be plainly felt when examination is made around the 

 coronet at the quarters. No definite rule can be given for shoe- 

 ing that would cover all cases of contraction ; the farrier must 

 be governed, by his understanding of the case confronting him. 

 Good judgment will direct that the hoof must be reduced and 

 pared low as necessary to bring it to a good level bearing, as per 

 Fig. 23, foreshortening the toe within the limits of safety. If 

 the frog is hard and dry, pare it level with the wall and open 

 up the commissures along the sides of frog and remove the horny 

 sole to its union with the w^all by thinning it until serum 

 exudes, as this will give freedom to the action of the frog. Also 

 if the heels are curled under (like an in-growdng toe nail) open 

 them up as deep as can be safely done, and in thus giving ex- 

 pansion to the bottom of the hoof, it will relax at the top and 

 allow the necessary freedom at the coronet for the structures to 

 assume their normal relations. After dressing the foot, apply 

 the raised split-bar shoe, Fig. 154, as this will assist in expanding 

 the hoof. Rivet a good solid piece of leather at the heels of 

 the shoe to cover the bottom of the foot, then fill the bottom of 

 the foot with a warm application of my foot salve, covering the 

 same with, an overlay of cotton or oakum, then nail on the shoe 

 and leather pad and keep pressure ofi:' around the front part of 

 the toe. After shoeing let the horse stand with both front feet 

 in tubs of warm water (to fully cover the feet eight or ten inches) 

 for two hours a day until soreness disappears. Reset the shoes 

 every two weeks, pare the growth off the base of the hoof and 

 keep the sole thin so as to allow it to spring under the weight of 

 the body ; at the same time have the feet washed around the cor- 

 onet daily with warm water and castile soap (as described in 



