SOME SKIN AFFECTIONS 



CRACKED HEELS 



Hunters are frequently troubled with this 

 form of skin congestion, which is confined 

 to the hollow of the heel, and mostly affects 

 the hind limbs. It is a particularly troublesome 

 complaint in the winter time, more especially 

 when a thaw sets in, though there is no specified 

 time of the year as to its production, the main 

 point being over-heated skin, followed by cold 

 air playing upon it, and this is precisely what 

 happens as the causative agent in nearly every 

 case of cracked heels. Whenever hunters in a 

 stud are troubled in this manner, it will be trace- 

 able to washing the legs, and then not drying 

 them properly. This, superadded to which 

 there will probably be a draught beneath the 

 stable door, is a commonly assignable cause, 

 therefore, remediable. Cracked heels are 

 generally very troublesome, more especially if 

 neglected, in fact, some horses will go quite lame 

 through the pain induced by the stretching of 

 the skin. A plan of treatment that is commonly 

 adopted, though quite an erroneous one, is the 

 application of astringent remedies, which only 



