398 THE HORSE. 



is discovered to have a corn, it is impossible to prove that it ex« 

 isted at the time of sale by any evidence but that of the smith 

 who shod him previously to it. Excepting, therefore, in very 

 slight and recent cases, in which it will sometimes be followed by 

 success, this plan'of treatment is only palliative, and what is worse, 

 it tends to increase the weakness of the foot and consequent ten 

 dency to the disease. 



For the curative plan we must do something more than 

 merely take the pressure off the sole ; the bar and heel of the 

 crust must also be relieved, and the. sensible sole must be stimu- 

 lated, by a proper application, to secrete healthy horn, as w.ell as 

 by pressure on the frog. If the horse is to be rested, this can be 

 done easily enough by taking off his shoes, but he may be kept at 

 work by putting on a bar-shoe, and cutting down the bar and crust, 

 so as to throw all the pressure off them upon the frog. A double 

 purpose is effected in this way. First, the sensible sole is relieved 

 of the constant pressure which the crust bears upon it laterally ; 

 and, secondly, the jar on the frog, communicated through the shoe, 

 from the ground, induces a healthy action in the foot, and the sole, 

 has a greater tendency to secrete healthy horn. There is no doubt 

 in my mind that all horses would work much better, and keep their 

 feet in much sounder condition, if their frogs could be brought into 

 use, without being guarded as they are by the ordinary shoe. This 

 part is intended by nature to take upon itself great pressure ; and 

 if it has not its natural stimulus it becomes weak itself, and, more- 

 over, it does not stimulate the surrounding parts to a healthy action, 

 as it ought to do. The bar-shoe is inconvenient for many purposes, 

 and, therefore, it is not generally applied ; but as a curative agent 

 these objections are to be dispensed with, and then it will be found 

 to be extremely valuable, not only in relieving the diseased part (the 

 corn) but in giving a healthy action to its seat, the sole. The smith 

 should, therefore, pare down the crust at the heel, so that when the 

 bar-shoe is applied it will allow a penny-piece to be insinuated be- 

 tween the two surfaces. With this the horse does his work com- 

 fortably on the road ; and in process of time, that is, in two or three 

 months, the heel grows up, and takes its own share of pressure, or 

 a part of it, becoming gradually accustomed to the amount which it 

 will have to bear when the bar-shoe is discontinued. In the mean 

 time a little of the following lotion may be applied daily to the 

 situation of the corn by means of a feather. 



Take of Chloride of Zinc 1 drachm. 



Water 6 oz. 



Glycerine 2 oz. Mix. 



In every case, the bar-shoe must be continued until the heel of tho 

 crust and the bar grow down strongly; and then a common shoe 

 may be applied. 



