THE HORSE'S FOOT: SHOEING, ETC. 115 



197. Canker is a morbid fungoid growth of horn at the bottom 

 of the foot, implicating the sensitive sole and frog. It may be pro- 

 duced by injuries, also by standing in a filthy, wet stable or box, 

 etc., greasy-legged horses being very prone to it. Instead of the 

 ordinary horn, little soft, spongy, sprouting growths, of a greyish- 

 white appearance, are seen, which bleed on the slightest touch. It 

 is usually first noticed in the commissures involving the bars and frog, 

 and it may extend all over the sole, and affect one or more feet, but it 

 seldom causes much lameness. Being of a very formidable nature, 

 it is very difficult to treat, and should never be tampered with by 

 amateurs. The animal must at once be put into a dry box, as 

 moisture encourages the spongy growths, which develop rapidly. I 

 have been most successful with daily dressings of powdered alum 

 and dry tow, kept in place by a thin plate of iron screwed on to a 

 special shoe, at the same time placing the animal on dry engine 

 ashes instead of straw, and promptly removing all wet matters, such 

 as faeces, urine, etc., as soon as evacuated or observed. 



198. Treads and Overreaches are injuries done to the top of 

 the foot and caused by the hind-foot overreaching on to the heel or 

 quarter of the fore-foot, or by one foot treading on its fellow. 

 Washing the parts well with clean cold water, removing all jagged 

 edges of the wound with a pair of sharp scissors, and dressing with 

 carbolized oil, will be found to answer in ordinary cases. Should 

 the underlying parts be damaged, and the animal go tenderly and 

 show pain, cold water cloths or poultices must be applied until the 

 inflammation is reduced. 



199. Navicular Disease, commonly called groggy lameness, 



may be defined as inflammation and ulceration of the tendinous or 

 inferior articular surface of the navicular or shuttle bone, situated at the 

 back of the coffin or pedal joint ; or it may be produced by lacera- 

 tion of the fibres of the tendons passing over the bone to its insertion 

 in the floor of the coffin bone, setting up inflammation and adhesion 

 of the parts. It invariably occurs in the fore-feet, affecting chiefly 

 horses of the light-legged class, and is in many cases due to hereditary 



