THE FOOT IN HEALTH AND DISEASE 119 



Cutting or Brushing 



This consists of an injury on the inner side of the 

 fetlock, usually the hind one, and the injury is done by 

 the shoe of the opposite foot striking the skin and 

 sometimes inflicting a nasty wound. It is a form of 

 injury which can sometimes be remedied through the 

 use of a three-quarter shoe and keeping the wall of the 

 hoof well rasped down the inner side. All sorts of devices 

 are employed, and every farrier has his own ideas as to 

 how a horse should be shod as a preventative against 

 the infliction of this injury. Some horses are incurable 

 owing to peculiarity of conformation and action. This 

 trouble is sometimes spoken of as " striking " or " inter- 

 fering." It may cause a horse to go quite lame, and 

 when the animal has a habit of doing it, it leads to 

 thickening of the skin and permanent scarring at this 

 particular part. Some horses are compelled to wear a 

 leather shield or piece of flannel around the fetlock. 

 The writer cannot recommend the purchase of a horse 

 addicted to this habit. Sometimes by thickening the 

 inside branch of the shoe — making it thicker than the 

 outside and driving all the nails on the outside and at 

 the toe, one can remedy this trouble. At any rate, it is 

 worth while to try this and any other devices which may 

 be suggested, in order to mitigate the evil. 



Forging 



This consists of striking the inner edge of one of the 

 fore shoes with the toe of the hind one. The sound 

 produced is very annoying, and some horses have a con- 

 stant habit of doing it. Animals very short in the body 

 and a trifle long in the limbs are very liable to forge, and 

 so are horses which are green or not settled in action, say 

 after a period of rest. Try rounding off the inner edge 

 of the fore shoe and keep the toe of the corresponding 

 hind one short. . " 



