494 SEEDY TOE. 



among riding and light draft horses they may be said almost 

 exclusively to be so. But among cart and dray horses the 

 hind hoofs are not unfrequently found seedy. Mr. Braby in- 

 forms me, that in his (Messrs. Barclay and Perkins') establish- 

 ment, he thinks the disease occurs somewhat oftener in the hind 

 than in the fore feet. Along with other observable differences 

 between horses of a light and heavy description, and between 

 those working in and out of draft, it deserves here especially to 

 be noted, that cart and dray horses are shod with strong broad 

 clips to their hind as well as fore shoes ; whereas light horses 

 in general have toe-clips to their fore shoes, but none to the 

 hind, the shoes upon the latter being maintained by compara- 

 tively small clips aside of the toe. 



Cause. — Were we certain about the cause of seedy toe, the 

 step from cause to effect, and to the nature of such effect, would 

 probably not be difficult; but here, in fact, commences our 

 vexata questio. In order to display the wide extent and dif- 

 ference of direction of opinion on this main point, we have only 

 to enumerate those we happen to be acquainted with of the 

 theories concerning it. Seedy toe is said to owe its origin — 

 I. To laminitis. II. To an affection of the laminae, having 

 some analogy to onychia or paronychia in the human subject, 

 whereby the secretion of the horny laminae is altered or sup- 

 pressed. III. To the presence of animalculse. IV. To hot 

 shoeing. V. To pricks from shoeing, or to nails being driven 

 too close, and thereby causing disease of the laminae. VI. 

 To a deviation of the coffin-bone, and consequent descent of 

 sole, thereby producing a separation of the outer from the inner 

 crust and sole. VII. To pressure, either from the shoe or 

 nails, or from both. 



Our first inquiry had better be, whether or not seedy toe 

 arises from, or is anywise connected with, shoeing. Mr. Ernes, 

 whose explanation of the phenomenon is recorded under the 

 sixth theorization, informs me, he has met with the disease in 

 the unshod feet of the horses of Luthiania and Poland : countries 

 where shoeing is so rarely practised as to be the exception 

 rather than the general custom. Mr. Ernes adds, '' he has never 



