i6o Management and Treatment of the Horse. 



CEACKED HEELS. 



Cracked heels are generally the result of one of 

 two causes ; either the horse is suffering from 

 indigestion and debility, or from neglect. If the 

 cause is debility and the animal out of sorts, it 

 must have good, nutritious food given, plenty of 

 cold water, in which one packet of Mr. Gregory's 

 Febrifuge is dissolved, and plenty of fresh air. 

 The heels should be poulticed with warm bran, 

 and allowed to remain on all night, in the 

 morning the bran should be wiped out of the 

 heel and the heel anointed with carbolized oil. 



Carbolic acid 1 part 



Sweet oil 14 parts 



Many persons use zinc ointment or sugar of lead 

 for cracked heels, but I do not like it; it dries 

 the heel too soon and it is of no use to dry up a 

 chapped heel before the humour is out of the leg. 

 Many persons say that chapped heels are caused 

 by the legs being left wet, but on this point I 

 most decidedly say that it is not the case. If the 

 chapped heel does not arise from internal causes, 

 then it is most decidedly from being only half 

 washed. If the leg of the horse is thoroughly 

 washed and every particle of dirt taken out, the 

 leg may be left not only wet with impunity but 

 with advantage and it will not crack the heel. But 

 if the leg is only half washed, although it may 

 be well rubbed dry, the result is sure to be 

 cracked heels ; in either case the treatment should 

 be the same. It is far better to let the dirt dry 

 on the legs than only to half wash them. 



