pen to any horse that hits the elbows. If we 

 had changed the front shoes every week on the 

 pacer I have referred to, she would not have 

 hit her elbow. But we didn't, and the financial 

 loss to the owner and driver on the one heat I 

 have described amounted to many times the 

 cost of her shoeing" for the entire season. 



I have seen young pacers go to their elbows 

 that, if their toes were shortened and a very 

 light rim or sweged-shoe put on, would have 

 lengthened their stride, increased the rapidity 

 of their front action, and stopped pounding 

 their elbows. It is a disagreeable fault, but it 

 can be cured. What will stop one may not 

 cure the next one, but if you will give the sub- 

 ject in hand careful study 3^ou will succeed in 

 remedying the trouble. 



CHAPTER XI. 

 Navicular Trouble. 



The trouble commonly known as navicular 

 disease is another of the many foot afiflictions 

 to which the horse is heir, that can be avoided 

 by proper care of the feet. A contracted con- 

 dition of the foot, high heels and general neg- 

 lect are the causes of this most painful foot 

 trouble. The navicular bone, a small, triangu- 

 }ar-shaped bone that lies between the wings 

 of the cofifin bone and forms the junction be- 

 tween the small pastern bone and the coffin 

 bone — known as the navicular joint — becomes 

 wedged in its position by reason of the closing 

 in of the walls of the foot. The extensor liga- 

 ments that run down under it and branch out 



58 



