THE HORSE'S FOOT: SHOEING, ETC. 113 



from top to bottom, in two places, just below and at either side of 

 the side-bone ; then, with a special shoeing-knife, the sole is divided 

 from the crust at the white line, at the bottom of the foot, when the 

 piece becomes partially loose, and, on the horse putting its weight on 

 the foot, the saw-cuts spring open, and have to be filled in with bees- 

 wax. A bar shoe is then put on, a blister applied to the band of the 

 hoof, and in a few months the foot expands and the horse goes sound. 



193. Sandcrack is a fissure, rent, or separation of the horny, 

 fibrous tubes of the hoof to a greater or less extent. It is more 

 common in the town than in the country, occurring most frequently 

 on the inner quarters of the fore - feet, and at times extending 

 from the top of the hoof to the bottom. When slight, it causes 

 little or no inconvenience ; but when the fissure extends into the 

 sensitive parts, and any dirt gets in, inflammation sets up, and 

 matter or pus is formed. This must be liberated by cutting each 

 side of the crack, dressing with carbolic oil, and applying poultices ; 

 after getting rid of this, a nick should be made with a hot fire iron 

 across the top of the crack through the horn, or in the shape of an 

 inverted v (thus a) close against the hair, and the fissure dressed with 

 tar ointment and tow (par. 1072). Then a tarred rope may be 

 wound round the hoof, or a leather strap used, or even, in some cases, 

 a specially constructed clasp may be advisable. The shoe must be 

 eased below the crack, while cold water cloths or swabs, put round 

 the hoof every night, have the best effect of anything that I know 

 of in making the hoof grow. To counteract the brittle nature of the 

 hoof, a mixture of one part of green tar and three parts hard fat or 

 palm oil melted together, and applied round the top of the hoof 

 twice a week, will also be found to answer admirably. A great 

 many writers are against this application, but, from my own 

 experience, I recommend its use. 



194. Seedy Toe. — A morbid secretion of the sensitive laminae, 

 inducing the formation of degenerate horn (which has a crumbling, 

 sawdust appearance, or, when moist, is of a cheese-like nature), and 

 causing a separation of the laminae from the outer wall of the hoof, 

 along with, when extensive, a bulging out of the wall at the part. 



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