CHAPTER II. 

 FEET OP THE HORSE AND THEIR DISEASES. 



I. CORNS. II. QUITTOR. III. QUARTER AND SANI> CRACKS. IV. SKEDY TOE. 



V. PRICKING FROM NAILS VI. ACUTE FOUNDER OR LAMINITIS. VII. 



CHRONIC FOUNDER OR LAMINITIS. VIII. PUMICED FEET. 



I. Corns. 



There is no ailment so common to horses' feet as corns. Fully nine- 

 tenths of the lameness in the feet are from this source. 



Qauses. They are the result of uneven pressure of the shoe, too much 



bearing on the quarters, especially the inner one, and too heavy bearing 

 on the heels. This results from the shoes being left on too long without 

 beiiu'- reset, and the feet pared down and the heels opened to remove the 

 surplus growth of hoof, that would be worn off if the foot were not 

 shod. Corns arc often caused by contraction of the foet, the pressure 

 on the walls of the quarters, by the contraction of the hoof, being very 

 great. 



It is necessary, as a rule, to shoe horses' feet, and in order to 

 keep them healthy the shoes should be reset about once a 

 month, the sole and wall reduced to their proper size, heels 

 opened, and the ragged surface, if any, trimmed off the frog. 

 The effect of the too heavy bearing on the quarters and heels is 

 SOLE OF A ^Q bruise the soft parts underneath, giving rise to soreness, and 

 s3il a after a day or two a reddish or puq^le spot will appear, varying 

 rol'*fid[cI^ in size from a ten cent piece to that of a quarter of a dollar. If 

 \£g L" new ^^^ bruising is light, the corn may become caloused and remain a 

 constant source of lameness, but not very severe, for a long time ; but, 

 if it is bad, the corn soon festers, matter forms and increases, spreading 

 in all directions, till it gets vent either by being opened at the bottom, or 

 breaks out at the top at the jmiction of the hoof and hair, forming a 

 quittor. 



How to know it.— Li^meness appears, slight at first, but increasing 

 very fast from day to day. The horse will show an inclination to favor 

 the sore quarter, and will not wear the shoe quite so much on that heel. 

 By applying the hand to the foot, you will notice heat in the sore part. 



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