14 



THE ART OF HORSE-SHOEING. 



of horn. It corresponds witli great exactness to the- 

 inside of the hoof, and as we have described the hoof in 

 sections it may be convenient to follow that course with 

 this structure, and to describe the sensilive frog, the -sfu- 

 sitive sole, and the sensitive lamince. We shall begin with 

 the last. 



The Sensitive Lamina.— Corresponding to the- 

 horny leaves on the inside of the wall, the sensitive foot 

 presents an arrangement of rninute parailul folds which 

 are called the sensitive laminfe. (Fig. 11.) Between 

 these the horny lamin&e rest, so that there is a kind of 

 interleaved attachment which affords tiio very tirmest 

 connection between the vv^all and the sensitive foot. If 

 the laminee be laid bare in a living horse by removal of 

 the wall, it is found that they have tlie power to secrete 

 a kind of horn, not a hard, fil:)rous horn like that of the 

 wall, but a softer variety. This function is not very 

 active in health or we shcrJd find that the lower edge of 

 the wall was thicker than the upper; but it exists, and 

 is very evident in som.e cases of disease. 



Fig. 11.— Foot with hoof removed showing at the upper part the 

 Coronary band, and below the Sensitive Laminae. 



In laminitis, the wall at the toe is often pushed for^ 

 •ward out of jjosition by a horny mass formed by the- 

 laminae, and so we have the deformity of an excessive^■ 

 length of toe. In some cases of long continued sand- 



