LAMINITIS. 191 



need not be despaired of, as they will go over soft 

 ground perfectly well and soundly. Only they should 

 be ridden to and from cover at a pace not exceeding a 

 walk. Indeed, on a road, no horse affected with navi- 

 cular disease should be ridden at a greater speed than 

 a walk, since more or less pain will be occasioned by 

 the concussion. 



FOUNDER, FEVER IN THE FEET, OR LAMINITIS. 



This disease consists in inflammation of the lamince 

 and its adjacent parts of the foot. It is caused by con- 

 tinued exertion on hard ground, straining the crust 

 beyond its powers ; but the most frequent cause is an 

 injury to the knee or shoulder of the horse, on ac- 

 count of which he is fearful of lying down, and thus 

 the continuance of an upright position causes too severe 

 a strain of the sensitive laminae. In this case a length- 

 ened rest after the cause has subsided, on puddled clay 

 during the daytime, with a plentiful litter at night, will 

 be absolutely necessary to effect a permanent cure. 

 But where the horse is in training and has to continue 

 his work, his feet should be placed into two buckets of 

 cool water after coming in from exercise, and allowed 

 to remain there so long as the horse feels disposed to 

 maintain the same position. I have more than once 

 seen horses neigh for the buckets and place their feet 

 hurriedly into them of their own accord immediately they 

 were placed before them. The softening of the hoof 

 by water, thereby causing increased pliability of the 



