LAMENESS AND DISEASES, ETC. 165 



SO suddenly and forcibly as to bruise them against the horny sole 

 or shoe without. The bruise thus established develops the wet 

 or sappy corn, which consists of an efiusion of blood or serum 

 into the pores of the horn, marking its location by leaving a 

 stain upon the outer sole. When the stain appears dark, and is 

 easily removed by paring away, the corn is old and working out, 

 but when the stain appears bright and ruddy, by penetrating 

 further into the horn, the corn is new and needs attention. 

 These corns may be aggravated by additional injury, and ter- 

 minate in a more serious form, known as the suppurative, in 

 which case the sensitiveness will be greatly increased, causing 

 intense pain, and, as a necessary consequence, acute lameness, or 

 finally resulting in laying the foundation for a quittor. 



In preparing the foot for the shoe, if the horn should ex- 

 hibit signs of moisture or discoloration, caused by the exudation 

 of a sappy or wet corn, open the center of the part indicated, 

 and gradually remove the sole, until the foreign matter is re- 

 leased. The foot must next be dressed down until it acquires a 

 perfectly level basis. For draft horses, let the toe be shortened 

 and the heels lowered; apply a shoe with toe and heel calkins, 

 the toe calkin to be set well back from the front of the shoe, as 

 seen in Fig. 35, and relieve the pressure at the heels. For horses 

 of general business and road purposes, pare the foot as low down 

 as safety will admit, shorten the toe, and cut the shoe off* on the 

 side in front of the corn, as seen in Figs. 58 and 59 ; but if the 

 corn be established on both sides, shoe with a three-quarter tip,^ 

 in order that the shoe may not come as far back as the affected 

 parts. In some cases it maybe advisable to use a four-calkin or 

 bar shoe, as determined by the judgment of the farrier. 



Navicular Disease. — The navicular bone, from its position 

 in the center of the foot, and the important protection which it 

 receives from the surrounding surfaces, is seldom visited by dis- 

 ease or disturbed by accident. It is protected at either end by 



