FALSE QUARTER. 169 



have also been successfully tried, but they are too often 



found not to be sufficiently active. The remedy v^hich 



has proved most successful, is the heated cautery carefully 



applied to the injured part. The edges of the horn on both 



sides of the crack should be thinned down, and a thick 



plastering of pitch spread over the parts so as to hold them 



closely together, as v\rell as to support the hoofs. This 



plaster to be kept on undisturbed for at least fourteen days, 



and then the parts should be carefully examined, to ascertain 



the condition of the coronet, and whether union of the parts 



has taken place. Should adhesion not be begun, then it 



must again be covered up and not looked at for eight days, 



by which time it will have adhered. During this treatment 



it would be judicious to strengthen the hoof by the use of 



a bar-shoe, only great care must be taken that there is 



no bearing at, or immediately below, the separation of the 



horn. To secure this against such a result, if the crust be 



naturally thick, accompanied by strong quarters, then a 



little of the crust near the part should be pared off, to 



prevent it from resting on the shoe. On the other hand, 



if the hoof be weak, an indentation should be made in the 



shoe itself opposite the part, which will prevent any stress, 



as well as the danger consequent upon a sudden or violent 



concussion which might have the effect of again cracking 



the hoof before it had got firmly united. 



In this complaint the horn sometimes grows down entire, 

 but from an unhealthy action in the coronary ligament, 

 it secretes a narrow slip of horn, generally different in 

 appearance from the other parts, usually of a lighter colour. 

 Although this is the case, it may become perfectly strong, 

 but it must always be considered as a defect, and clearly- 

 showing that the horse has had sand-crack, and of course 

 predisposed to a return of it. The horse may be fit for all 



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