988 PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. Taut III. 



v. hicli it gradually sinks from ;i concave i<> ■ convex surface, drawing with it the front bf the hoof inwards. 

 In weak, broad, heavy feet, tins evil cornea on sometimes without founder: the treatment can be only 

 palliative, a wlue-webbed ihoe exactly fitted to the foot, without at all pressing on it, prevents the lame- 

 new consequent to the dUeate A ihoe exact!) the contrary to tins has been tried In some cases with 

 benefit, the form of which bai been one with a web «n narrow as only to cover the crust, but so thick as 

 to remove the feel from accidental pressure. In other rases, no shoe answers so well as a Strong bar 



ihoe 6601) 



Corru arc mod troublesome ailments, to which horses are very liable, and which injure and ruin 

 thoua mils. They arc wholly accidental ; no hone having any peculiar tendency to them, but being always 



brought on them by some improper pressure, usually of the shoe, or from something getting In between 

 the shoe and the horny heel. A shoe too long worn is a very common cause, and a still more frequent 



one is the clubbing the heels of the si , neither is it necessary to the production of corns, that the 



shoe Itself should press on the sole ; but they are equally produced when the outer horn of the heels or 

 of the bars is the immediate offending part, rendered so by too luxuriant growth, by unequal wear, or 

 b\ seconder; pressure from the shoe, or try gravel working in. (Jig. 8.'it>.) It is the fleshy sole itself that is 

 bruised, from which a ipeck of extravasated blood follows; and if not immediately relieved, it gathers, 

 or the part becomes habitually defective, and instead of forming healthy horn, it always afterwards forms 

 a sp ingy substance Of extreme sensibility, and thus is always liable to produce pain and lameness when 



exposed to pressure. 



The treatment nf corns is seldom difficult or unsuccessful at their first appearance, but afterwards 

 n can be only palliative. Maine directs that, by means of a fine drawing-knife, every portion of diseased 

 b .in should be pared away, and the extravasation underneath likewise. Having dotie this, he advises to 

 introduce some butter of antimony into the opening, to place over this some tow, which should be kept in 

 its place bj means of a splint. If any contraction of the heels (fig. 8;>6. aa) be present, it will materially 

 a-si-t the cure to lower them, and to thin the hoof a little around the quarters, and afterwards to put on 

 a shoe without heels opposed to the corn, or a shoe chambered opposite the weak part ; or a bar shoe may 

 be applied, SO framed as completely to leave the heel untouched. Introduce the butter of antimony once 

 or twice more, with the interval of two days between, and then turn the horse out to grass : in about six 

 weeks' tnm' the foot will be sound. The treatment of corns, when of long standing, does not materially 

 differ; for although they are never wholly eradicated, they may be rendered but little troublesome. The 

 dis< ased put must be carefully pared out at each shoeing, and such a shoe put on as will completely free 

 the heel from pressure. 



6524, Running tltrm.li is alwms a dangerous disease, and few errors in horse management are more 

 glaring than the common one of supposing they are necessary to carry off humours. If less food, more 

 exercise, cool stables, and dry standings, were substituted to correct the fulness, Instead of thrushes, 

 which invariably contract the feet whenever they continue any length of time, many valuable horses 

 would be saved to the community. To the cure, begin by clearing out all the fissures of the frog 

 [fig 8 ;t>. a a Iron loose ragged horn, and then introduce to the bottom of the sinuses, by means of a thin 

 piece of wood, some of the thrush paste (Vet. Pharm. fi554.1, smeared on tow, which will enable it to be 

 held within the cleft, especially if it be guarded by splints of wood passed under the shoe ; renew the 

 dressing daily: turning out to grass maybe practised to great advantage for thrushes by this mode of 

 dressing ; but without it the disease is sometimes aggravated. 



Sandcracks are fissures in the hoofs, commonly of those before, and usually towards the inner, but 



now and '.hen towards the outer quarter also, from above downwards : from the crack, a little oozing of 

 blood or moisture is seen ; and the sensible parts underneath getting between the edges of horn, become 

 pi . ssed on and lame the horse. Fire the fissure crossways, so as to destroy the connection between the 

 divided and the undivided parts of the hoof. With melted pitch close up the origin if the oozing be 

 moderate, and bandage tightly. Watch the foot, and if inflammation succeed this plan, remove the 

 dressing. 



o <-'< i. I' neks or punctures in the feet are often very serious evils, either when received by nails in shoeing, 

 or by one picked upon the road, &c. The danger arises from the inflammation, which is always great from 

 any injury done to the sensible and vascular parts within the foot. This inflammation quickly proceeds 

 to suppuration ; and the matter is apt to make its way upwards, unless it find a ready vent below. When 

 it does not break out at the coronet, it will often penetrate under the sole, and finally disease the bones, 

 ligaments, or cartilages, and produce quittor. It is very seldom that a horse is pricked in shoeing, but 

 that the smith is aware of it by the peculiarity of the feel on the hammer, and by the flinching of the 

 animal. At such times were he to immediately withdraw the nail a little, enlarge the opening, and intro- 

 duce some spirit within the puncture, nothing would occur; but on the contrary, he sends the horse home 

 to avoid trouble, who, the next or following day, is found lame, and with his foot hot If the nail be 

 only driven too near the sensible laminae, it will only require to be removed, to free the horse from his 

 evil ; but if it have been driven through, and have wounded them, then suppuration ensues, and on exa- 

 mining the foot by the pincers when the shoe is removed, he will flinch at the pressure on the diseased 

 part. It is probable, on the removal of the shoe, that matter will at once flow out at the immediate nail 

 hole ; if not, the drawing-knife will soon detect the injury. If the heat be great, and instead of matter 

 bloody dark ichor flows out, wrap the foot up in a poultice; but if healthy matter flows out, this will not 

 be necessary : sometimes it is requisite to detach all the horn that is und'errun by the matter; but when 

 the injury has not proceeded to this extent, apply over the part a pledget of tow steeped in friar's balsam ; 

 tack on the shoe lightly, and retain the dressing by means of splints, which are thin pieces of wood (the 

 withy which binds birch brooms is convenient for the purpose) passed under the shoe ; repeat the dressing 

 daily, and avoid moisture, which would encourage quittor. A nail picked upon the road, and which 

 p.is-cs through the sole, below or through the frog, is to be treated in the same manner, and also when the 

 matter breaks out at the coronet ; but when a nail is picked up, and penetrates the coffin joint, which is 

 1 nown by the Bynovia or joint oil appearing, such opening should be immediately stopped by paring 

 towards the wounded joint, and then applying a heated budding-iron, not to the capsular ligament itself, 

 1 "' '" ''"' skin immediately near it ; it this be inconvenient, put a pledget dipped in a little butter of anti- 

 mony just within the opening, but do not press it into the cavity of the joint : if this be insufficient to 

 stop the How. but more particularly if the original wound penetrated to the bone, it is probable that the 

 bone itself "ill become, in some measure, diseased, which is known by the rough grating felt at the point 

 ot the probe when passed. In this ease, enlarge the opening so as to be able to scrape the diseased bone 

 away Bruise* of the sale, from whatever cause, will all fall under some of these point* of view, according 

 as the case may be. 



6527. Quittor and canker are the consequences of these injuries when neglected, or originally extensive 

 In these cases either the hones, ligaments, or cartilages, or all, become diseased ; and a cure 'can only be 

 Obtained by removing the diseased parts by the knife or by caustic. 



6528. Treads, over-reach, \e. A wound' on the coronet is not uncommon from one foot being placed on 

 the other ; or the hinder foot may strike it, Sec First wipe away the dirt, and remove anv loose edges 

 that cannot unite : avoid washing, unless stones and dirt are suspected to be within, and bind up, having 

 first placed over the wound a pledget of lint or tow moistened with balsamic tincture, or tincture of 

 myrrh, or of aloes, &c. Over-reaching, or overstepping, is often an injury done to the fetlock joint 

 before, by the hinder foot, or to the back sinew higher up. Sometimes it is' simply a violent bruise, at. 

 others the laceration is extensive, in which cases treat as a tread ; and w hen no laceration has taken place 

 treat as a bruise or strain. 



6521). Cutting is a detect to which some horses arc liable from their form, as when they turn their toes 



