FEET OF THE HORSE ANB THEIR DISEASES. 289 



What to do. — Remove the shoe and reduce the wall of that quarter, to 

 take off the beaiiug. If it is broken through into the quick, take a 

 sharp shoeing knife and pare down the edges of the crack the Avhole 

 tength, enough to relieve the pinching, and for a distance of half an inch 

 on each side of the crack, to make it more pliable. Then take either a 

 sharp knife or a red hot iron, mth an edge to it, and cut or burn across 

 the crack at the top, right through to the quick. MaKe the cut at least 

 an inch long ; this is to start a new hoof and make it grow down sound 

 and naturally. 



If the crack does not extend clear through the hoof, it 

 is not necessary to pare away the edges. If there is no 

 lameness, you may be certain it is not broken through into 

 the quick, for if it is the horse will go lame. It is a 

 good plan to cut or bum across the crack at the top, and 

 take off the bearing at the bottom, but do not cut or burn ^uarteu cuack 

 so deep as in the more severe case. Then have a plate ^"bear'n^takei^off a1 

 either of brass, copper or iron, half an inch wide, and saod.''°"°"'' ""^ 

 an inch and a half long, screwed on across the crack ; have the screws 

 .about a quarter of an inch long, and screw them into the lioof , while an 

 assistant draws the edges of the crack together with a 

 pair of pinchers, the horse at the time standing on the 

 other foot to take the weight off the one operated on. 



As the foot grows, the plate will have to l)e moved 

 down, about once a month or six weeks, or, i)erhaps, not 



P- ,1 . , ,1 J. ^1 1 J. QUARTER CRACK. 



oitener than once m two months, according as the hoof 



f, 1 Showing- the hoof 



^ USt or slow. broken only part way 



" ~i n n 1 1 IT oi 11 "P» dressed, pared 



Jf flesh grows up between the edges of the crack, burn and shod. 

 it down with powdered blue vitriol, applied once a day. When it is dry 

 and the soft parts are healed by the vitriol, dress it 

 with pine tar once a day. 



In all cases blister the coronet at the junction of 

 hoof and hair, clear around from heel to heel, but 

 do not blister back of the heels, in the hollow of 

 the pastern. Let the blister be of cantharides 

 (Spanish flies.) 



If the cracks are bad, it is best to shoe with a 

 bar shoe, which should be reset every three or four 

 weeks. 



CLOSING A nOOF CRACK. 



Cracks that break crosswise of the hoof seldom By the use of thin wire. 

 amount to disability. If there is iny flesh exj^osed, dress it with 



