DISEASES OF THE LEGS 249 



There Is another kind of capped hock which con- 

 sists in a sweUing on each side of the point of the 

 hock caused by distension of the sheath of the tendon 

 which passes over that part. This may be due to a 

 sprain, and is usually accompanied by lameness. The 

 treatment should be bathing with hot water, followed 

 by gentle rubbing with alcohol. The horse should be 

 shod with a high-heeled shoe, and should have complete 

 rest until all lameness disappears. 



SHOE-BOIL 



A shoe-boil, or capped elbow, is caused by continual 

 Irritation from the pressure of the foot or shoe when 

 the horse lies down with the fore leg doubled under him 

 at the knee. Often in such cases you will find in the 

 middle of the foot above the frog, a small, thin very 

 hard projection of horn, between the heels, almost 

 exactly like the blade of a razor. This is easily cut 

 down with a knife, and the shoe-boil disappears. But 

 In other cases the trouble Is from the shoe, and in 

 those cases the horse should wear In the stable a 

 leather pad, made for the purpose, which encircles 

 the fetlock of the offending foot, and thus protects the 

 elbow. It Is also possible, if the horse is kept in a 

 straight stall, to prevent his doubling up a foreleg in 

 such manner as to produce a shoe-boil by nailing a 

 narrow strip of board across the floor of the stall a 

 few Inches back of the place where his forefeet come 

 when he Is standing. 



Some authorities maintain that shoe-boil Is caused 

 simply by pressure on the elbow when the horse gets 



