506 NAYICULAR DISEASE. 



pernicious practice whicli the majority of farriers pursue of cut- 

 ting large slices of horn from the crust and the frog of the foot 

 at the time the animal is shod. Many practices are pursued with 

 the horse which are destructive alike to his health and general 

 economy ; but few are more so than the atrocious one of cutting 

 away the hoof and the frog ; and until gentlemen who own 

 horses better understand what pertains to their welfare in 

 shoeing, and rigidly enforce the rule of non-interference with 

 the drawing knife on the part of the farrier, I feel assured that 

 the practice in question will never be remedied.* 



Navicular Disease may exist in association with Side Bone, 

 or IRing Bone ; or all these diseases may exist in the same 

 animal, at the same time. 



Symptoms. — Lameness, arising from disease or injury of 

 the navicular joint, is sometimes (as stated above) manifested 

 suddenly, while in other cases it appears insidiously ; under every 

 condition of its development, however, when inflammation is 

 established within the joint, no matter how slight the inflam- 

 mation may be, the foot affected is certain to be warmer at the 

 heel than natural ; the increased warmth may be so slight that 

 its existence may be doubted by many ; but warmer it will be, 

 and of this any one possessed of a delicate touch may convince 

 himself by a careful comparison of the temperature of the two 

 feet, that is, when one foot alone is aff'ected. 



The animal, when stood at rest, will place the diseased foot 

 in advance of the other ; the appearance of the limb, when in 

 motion, will also be peculiar ; the patient will step, even when 

 slightly attacked with the malady, as though the foot was 

 clubbed ; the animal will avoid stepping boldly upon the heel ; 

 he will travel with freedom up hill, but in coming down again 

 the gait will be short and paddling. 



* For further remarks upon the practice in question, see pages 88 to 92. 



