310 ON THE TREATMENT OF HORSES' FEET, 



more convenient and ready way of softening and re- 

 laxing the hoofs of horses in case active inflammation 

 takes place in their feet from fever, or when contraction 

 comes on suddenly. For such purposes [ have used 

 the sponge boots with the best effects, but I should 

 never apply them to moisten the feet of horses that are 

 to be kept in work. On such occasions, I think they 

 relax the feet too suddenly; besides which they are 

 unwieldy things for a boy in a race-horse stable to 

 handle; they are also found to be very inconvenient 

 for horses to rest in, that are in health, and have to go 

 out to exercise twice a day, as most horses in training 

 do. 



During my practice in the Cavalry for this last 

 eighteen years, whenever any of the troop horses 

 having strong feet, have become lame from their feet 

 having contracted, and the hoofs hard and brittle, 

 (which is common in a dry Spiing, or in the hot 

 Summer months), I have ordered them to stand in 

 clay and water, if I have plenty of spare stable room 

 hi the barracks. Their full shoes having previously 

 been taken off, their feet cleaned out, and three-quarter 

 shoes put on them. The period I allow these horses 

 to stand in clay and water depends much on the sor^ 

 of feet they have and the state they may be in. The 

 stronger horses' feet are, the more they require to be 

 relaxed by moisture. Some horses I keep standing in 

 wet clay every day from morning till night, for three 

 weeks or a month, as I conceive it necessary ; others I 

 keep in it for ten days or a fortnight, and unless these 



