18 THE ART OF HORSE-SHOEING. 



of the system cause the formation of ridges in the horn, 

 each one commencing at the coronet and being carried 

 down with the growing horn until the hoof is marked by 

 a series of rings running transversely and parallel to 

 each other. These rings are of themselves no detriment 

 to a horse, but they mark irregularities of growth which 

 may have been due to illness or lameness. 



The growth of horn on a shod foot is affected by the 

 bearing it takes. When a part of the wall takes no 

 bearing on the shoe it grows quicker than that which 

 does. We see this when a shoe is so fitted that the heels 

 take no direct pressure on the shoe, also when a portion 

 of wall is broken at the quarters, and again when, for 

 any reason, a portion of the edge of the wall has been 

 rasped away to prevent bearing upon some sjjecial spot. 

 In all these cases, after the shoe has been worn a month, 

 it will bo found that the horn has grown more rapidly 

 at the part where bearing did not take place, and, when 

 the shoe is removed, the horn which was relieved of 

 pressure is found to have been in apposition with 

 the slioe. 



The growth of horn cannot be accelerated by any 

 application to its surface. If we desire to hasten growth 

 of the wall we can do so by stimulating the part from 

 which it is produced, i.e., the coronary band. A mild 

 blister to the coronet causes considerable increase in the 

 rapidity of growth, but no ointments applied to the sur- 

 face of the wall affect its production in the least, though 

 they may modify its condition and prevent dryness and 

 brittleness. 



The sole grows in much the same way as the wall, 

 but it wears quite differently. It never becomes over- 

 grown to the extent seen in some instances of the wall. 

 The hard, firm structure of the wall, if not worn down by 

 friction on roads or dry, hard surfaces, may grow to a 

 great length. As a rule, when much overgrown, it splits 

 in the direction of its fibres and becomes detached m 

 broken fragments. The sole, when overgrown, has a 

 tendency to become detached in flakes, and never very 

 much exceeds its normal thickness without becoming 



