2GS THE hokse-keei'er's guide. 



At olher times various inirenioiis devices, calculated ra 

 tlier to inciease than remedy the evil, have been resorted 

 to, such as putting on shoes narrower on the inside, and 

 set within the crust, and the wall of the quarters reduced 

 in thickness by the rasp. If none of these schemes have 

 been resorted to, to obviate the defect, the horn of the op- 

 posite foot will sometimes be found polished by the attri- 

 tion ; for it is not the shoe that cuts once in a hundred times, 

 hut the hoof. In horses that interfere, we generally find 

 the inside quarter lower thnn the outer, or the toes turned 

 outwards — the fault being in the leg that receives the mis- 

 chief while sustaining the weight, not in \\\q, foot \\\dX gives 

 the blow. The tired horse throws his legs about, and fre- 

 quently cuts himself; and it is the fault of most young un- 

 educated horses, especially'if they have been backed or 

 inconsiderately worked too early. 



If there are any symptoms of knuckling or inclination of 

 the fetlocks forward, serious injury has happened. 



The hair above, and below the fetlock joint, should be 

 carefully searched for the scars left by the operation of 

 neurotomy, (the division of the nerves that supply the foot 

 with sensation ;) pricking the fetlock with a pin, if you 

 have reason to suspect it has been destroyed. About the 

 fetlocks are frequently found little puffy tumours, absurdly 

 denominated wind-galls, from a supposition of the famer 

 that they contained wind. 



Whenever parts move and press on each other, and be- 

 tween tendons, particularly about the extremities, there 

 are placed little vesicles, or shut socks, technically termed 

 hurscB mucascBy containing synovia, or joint oil, a lubricating 

 fluid to prevent friction, in sufficient quantity for all ordi- 

 nary purposes of the animal. But when the horse has been 

 compelled to undergo exertion beyond that wdiich is nat- 

 ural and beneficial, an increased supply of synovia is se« 

 creted, which distends the capsule : a repetition sets up 

 chronic inflamation of the synovial membrane — morbid se- 

 cretion and visible enlargement is the result. There are 

 very few horses that have done much work that are w*ith- 

 uut them. 



Though rest and pressure will diminish them, when once 

 enlarged, labour will be sure to rej^roduce them ; they sel- 

 dom occasion any local disturbance, and are of no conse- 

 quence beyond the blemish, unless they are very largo 



