193 SAND-CRACKS; REMEDIES. 



description I thought proper to give at the beginning of this book, pages 167 

 1G9; &c. of the internal conformation of the foot, that the healthy action of the 

 parts upon each other is only to be kept up by the pressure of the sensible 

 frog. 



" When the frog is not sufficiently pressed upon, (says Mr. Coleman) it 

 becomes soft from the accumulation of the fluid which it naturally secretes in 

 great abundance from the fatty [elastic] substance, which lies immediately 

 under the tendon." This view of the process tallies tolerably well with my 

 own examination of the subject, at the pages just referred to, and elsewhere. 



SAND-CRACK. 



When suffered to continue, the cure is attended with great difficulty, and 

 the disorder may therefore be divided into two stages or degrees, like many 

 other affections of the horse. The name of sand-crack is derived from the 

 worst of these states, when sand, gravel, or dirt, has got into the crack, which 

 constitutes the disease. 



Cause. — Brittle hoof will occasion sand-crack of a very bad sort, but the ac- 

 companying cause is the cessation of the function of supplying matter for 

 forming new horn in the vessels leading from the coronet. This may aiise 

 from an external injury at the coronet, or severe treatment for some other dis- 

 order of the foot, as a running frush. As the hoof is always hot, one main 

 cause of sa\id-crack is referred to heated roads, to travelling in deep, hot, 

 sandy countries ; scantiness of water, and removal out of a cold to a very hot 

 climate, as from England to India (East and West), are all known to cause 

 the heat and brittlenoss which accompany sand-crack. 



Symptoms. — A split or crack in the hoof, on the inside quarter of the fore 

 foot, for the most part, but often on the front of it, down towards the toe, and 

 occasionally on the outside, and also near the heel. Sometimes it appears on 

 the hind foot, on the front of it, and prevails with us generally in hot weather. 

 Sand-crack is either superficial and easily remedied, or deep and extensive, 

 requiring much attention, and an operation or two in its different stages. 



Cure. — It will be seen that a slight crack may, by working the animal, be- 

 come one of the worst species. Pare away the rotten parts, if such be found, 

 and make a transverse incision across the upper part of the crack ; wash out 

 the sand or dirt, apply daily tincture of tar, with a pledget of tow, and give 

 the horse rest. Bind round the hoof tight with listing, and stop up the sole 

 with cow-dung, and this treatment will suffice in ordinary cases. But when 

 the crack extends so high, that there is no room left for making this incision 

 across, to stop the progress of the crack, the disorder has assumed its worst 

 aspect : the edges of the crack internally now press upon the sensible part, or 

 laminated substance that holds the coffin-bone and hoof together, and inflam- 

 mation succeeds, if blood does not issue forth. If the crack affects the coro- 

 net, you may draw one side of it down to the quick about an inch with good 

 effect, but no farther, as that would occasion the hoof to divide more readily. 

 Rest, however, will restore adhesion to the upper part of the crack, and when 

 this has taken place extensively, the operation of cutting across, or of firing it 

 across with one fine only, may be performed with every prospect of success ; 

 for as t'ne hoof grows down, which it does from the coronet, this transverse ar- 

 tificial crack you have made intercepts the material for forming horn, on its 

 inside, and thus contributes greatly to fill up the chasm below. To increase 

 ♦his supply of the horny material, let the coronet be anointed with a solution 

 of tar and tallow and hog's lard daily, which should be extended to the horny 

 part of the hoof 



Stopping has oeen mentioned as necessary to be adopted on the first o' 



