The Foot — Lmninitis. 109 



and no doubt is the result of their endeavour to 

 resist the violence occasioned by over-exertion on 

 hard roads, and by the exhaustion produced by 

 rapid driving and other artificial deleterious 

 causes, such as being called upon to perform long 

 journeys when the stomach is overloaded with 

 food. Always remember ^'FuU feed, then rest,'' 

 — eating large quantities of wheat or feeding 

 upon new oats. There is one cause, however, so 

 prominent and influential in its character, that 

 ought never to be lost sight of, and that is ivork^ 

 or what may be construed into violence done to 

 the feet ; for instance, a horse with high stamping 

 action going any great distance or for any length 

 of time upon the hard macadamised road, or hard 

 pavement of any kind whatever, will be a very 

 likely subject for an attack of this disease, 

 particularly if he has been idle, at rest, or un- 

 seasoned, and is suddenly and at once put to do 

 severe work. It is here that the groom requires 

 to use great caution ; when a new horse is 

 brought under his care he does not know if 

 the animal has been idle and been '^made up" 

 for sale, and if suddenly put to hard work the 

 chances are he will fall to pieces. It is a safe 

 plan to always put a new purchase through 

 a course of physic before using it. Many gentle- 

 men turn their hunters out of condition through 

 the summer months with the idea of resting their 

 legs. This is a mistake for which the animal 

 has to pay in the autumn by extra work to get 

 it into condition again, and grooms are often 

 put to their wits' end by animals becoming 



