LAMENESS, FROM VARIOUS CAUSES. 351 



well, were we to talk about laying a horse up for so trifling an 

 accident. Nay, some horses, with non-penetrant sand-cracks, or 

 with sand-cracks that have been penetrant, but have become horned 

 over, showing little or no lameness, continue to work on without 

 evincing any pain or inconvenience from them. Whether a horse 

 he lame or not, liowever, should he have a sand-crack, and we be 

 wmsulted about it, it becomes our duty to arrest the extension of 

 the crack so long as it be but partial; and, besides that, to take 

 mejusures for the cure or permanent removal of the crack. The 

 owner of the horse should be given to understand that no flaw or 

 crack in the hoof can, by possibility, unite the same as a wound 

 in a vital part does, but must, as the saying is, grow down ; that 

 is, must be replaced by new horn, and be itself, by degrees, re- 

 newed, as it continues to come under the operation of the drawing- 

 knife every time the horse is fresh shod ; so that, in fact, the cure, 

 or obliteration of the crack, is necessarily a work of some months, 

 though the lameness may be cured in as many hours or days. 



Paring out the crack, the shoe being taken off the foot, is the 

 first thing to be done. The cutting cautiously away of its rugged 

 edges, and the scooping out, with a light hand, (probably with 

 the back of the drawing-knife,) of its cavity, will enable us to 

 examine into the condition of it. Should there be no lesion or 

 exposure of the laminse detectable, nothing further will be needed 

 from the drawing-knife than the cleaning out of the crack. 



Firing the crack is the next operation. Cross-firing will be 

 advisable below or above, or in both situations, according to cir- 

 cumstances. So long as the crack has not reached to the bottom 

 of the wall, it will be requisite, with an ordinary firing-iron, at a 

 red heat, to burn a deep but short fissure, or ' mark/ across its 

 lower extremity; and whether a similar operation be required 

 across the superior termination of the crack, must depend uj-on 

 its extension or not through the horn at the coronet. If there be 

 any interval of sound horn between the hair and the crack, of 

 sufificient breadth and substance to bear firing, a very elight burn 

 may do good. In all cases it is the practice to finish the firing 

 with running the sharp edge of the iron down the crack ; and this 

 oeitainly ])roves beneficial in destroying any tendency there may 

 be (supposing the laminaj to have become denuded) to abnormal 

 action, as well to stimulate any vascular parts exposed to iasu* 

 horny matter to cover in the bottom of the crack. 



