THE hokse's foot; shoeing and care. Ill 



opening extends to the sensitive laminae with inflammation and 

 swelling of the coronal band. In the fore feet it generally affects 

 the inside quarters, and in the hind feet the toes. It is generally 

 caused by improper shoeing, rasping the outside of the hoof, paring 

 the sole, and burning the horn with hot shoes. If there is much 

 soreness, the foot had better be poulticed with flaxseed or soaked in 

 tepid water. Sand, dirt or other foreign substances that have 

 entered the crack must be removed. Various methods of treatment 

 are practiced. One is "cross-firing," which consists of drawing a 

 red hot iron on the hoof transversely across both sides of the crack, 

 about half an inch below the coronet. Another method is to draw 

 one line with the firing iron obliquely downward on each side of the 

 fissure, making a V with the point at the crack. Binding or rivet- 

 ing the fissure is used with or without firing. The two sides are 

 brought together by means of wire or strong cord passed through 

 holes bored for the purpose in the hoof, care being used not to make 

 them so deep as to press upon the sensitive parts. If the crack is in 

 the toe, a small notch is cut in the edge of the hoof at the bottom of 

 the crack, to take all pressure from the shoe at that point. The shoe 

 has a small clip at either side of the crack to prevent expansion. 

 If toe calkins are used, they are set well back from the toe of the 

 shoe. In case of quarter crack, a groove is cut in the lower edge of 

 the hoof, as for toe crack, and a bar shoe applied. 



DAILY CARE OF THE FEET. 



When the horse returns to the stable from a drive, one of the 

 first duties is to clean and pick out the feet, and examine them to 

 see if any stones have lodged above the shoe, or sharp-pointed object 

 has penetrated the sole. The hind feet should never be allowed to 

 stand in an acrid mass of filth and droppings. Neglect in this par- 

 ticular is a prolific soui'ce of thrush and other diseases of the foot. 

 The old and almost universal practice of "stopping" the fore feet 

 with cow-dung, either alone or mixed with clay, is a pernicious one. 

 The very books which recommend this practice also cite it as one 

 of the most usual causes of thrush and canker. If the sole and frog 

 are left as they should be, without interference, there will be less 

 tendency to contraction of the feet. If the fore feet become dry 

 and feverish from stabling upon a plank floor, or traveling on hard 

 roads, they may be soaked in the foot-bath described on page 62. 

 There are also " water -boots " and pads to be used for soaking the 

 feet. " Hoof ointments " and nostrums of aU kinds are worse than 

 useless on feet which are properly shod and managed. 



