254 THE HORSE 



suffering because the diseased laminae are rigidly con- 

 fined in a horny box, which does not permit any expan- 

 sion of the inflamed and swollen parts. 



It was formerly supposed that founder was a disease 

 of the chest because when the feet are foundered the 

 chest contracts, and has a hollow, instead of a convex 

 appearance; but this is because, in an effort to relieve 

 the forward part of the feet, the horse throws his 

 weight on his heels as much as possible, and toes in, 

 and this position makes him appear hollow-chested, and 

 in time the chest will become deformed. 



Chronic founder cannot be cured, and a badly 

 foundered horse should be killed, to put him out of 

 misery. Some relief can be given by keeping his feet 

 soft, as by standing him in moist earth, or by tying 

 wet woolen rags around the coronet every night, and 

 by expanding the heel, through the use of springs or 

 otherwise. 



Calks should be avoided as far as possible, and a 

 plain, rolling-motion shoe used; but if calks are neces- 

 sary to avoid slipping, the four-calk shoe, go called, 

 should be used. In most cases a bar shoe should be 

 employed, with a leather or zinc pad; and the bar 

 should be so fitted as to give frog-pressure, or to avoid 

 frog-pressure, according to the particular condition of 

 the foot in each case. 



As stated above, the web of the shoe for a foun- 

 dered horse should be wide, but concave, and " seated 

 out," so as to protect the sole adjacent to the wall 

 without touching it. 



Sometimes a foundered foot has a tendency to 



