208 THE PRACTICAL HORSE KEEPER. 



the coronet, towards the quarters or heels, and causing great 

 lameness and the manifestation of much pain on handling it. 

 It is a very serious condition, and requires time, patience, and 

 skill. 



Treatment. If a veterinary surgeon's assistance is not 

 available, the shoe should be taken off and the sole pared, to 

 discover whether the abscess is due to injury there, when an 

 opening should be made so as to allow the matter to escape 

 from below. The horn of the wall should be rasped away from 

 it, so as to relieve the pressure ; the foot should then be 

 fomented with warm water for an hour or two, and a large 

 poultice applied. When the abscess opens, the wound may 

 require to be enlarged ; but whether or not, a thin pledget of 

 tow steeped in crude carbolic acid should be passed down to 

 the very bottom of it with a probe, every day, until the dis- 

 charge is completely dried up. 



Sand-Crack. 



Sand-crack is a split in the wall of the hoof, which may 

 occur at any part ; but usually in the front of the hind-foot 

 and the quarter of the fore-foot, and generally the inside one. 

 This crack may occur quite suddenly from severe exertion, 

 aided in some cases by faulty horn secretion. It commences at 

 the top near the coronet, and extends downwards, penetrating 

 to the sensitive parts within, which bleed and are bruised, 

 causing great lameness and intense pain. 



Treatment. When much pain and lameness are present, 

 the shoe should be removed, the horn rasped away at the 

 crack, so as to remove the pressure, and the foot immersed in 

 a bucket of warm water for an hour or so, and afterwards 

 poulticed. If the lameness continues a veterinary surgeon 

 must be called in, and the part well exposed, so as to discover 

 whether matter is forming. When this has been done, it may 

 be necessary to poultice for some days until the inflammation 



