TREATMENT OF LATERAL DISTORTION. 



361 



Prognosis. — When the distortion of the hoof is a result of 

 the deformation of the limb, and the old shoe shows com- 

 paratively level wear, the condition is not serious. If, however, 

 the hoof is much deformed, the liorn of the wall weak, the wall 

 itself curved inwards, and if, in addition, other disease exists, 

 improvement is difficult and affected animals are of little use 

 for work on hard roads, least of all at a rapid pace. 



Hoofs so deformed show a great tendency to disease, the up- 

 right wall always suffering first ; corns and sandcracks are of 

 frequent occurrence. 



The style of shoeing depends on the degree of disease and on 

 the conformation of the limb, the two chief objects being to- 

 remove or minimise existing defects and to promote the return 

 of the foot to its normal shape. 



The hoof must be trimmed so as to make the tread level, 

 the bars and sole of the upright side being left stronger than 

 those of the opposite, for a strong sole and well developed bar 



Fig. 343.— Bar shoe for laterally distorted hoof, a, the upright (contracted) wall ; 6, the 



spot over which the hoof is ' spruug.' 



prevent contraction of the wall better than any special shoe. 

 Flat shoes {i.e., without heels) are most suitable, because they 

 favour a level tread and equalise wear. 



Too much weight may be thrown on the upright wall, a& 

 happens when, during the extension of the fetlock joint, the 

 fetlock, instead of remaining behind the middle line of the hoof, 

 tends to assume a position above the contracted coronary mar- 

 gin of the heel. In such case an attempt should be made to- 

 relieve the contracted wall of weight. The hoof is, therefore, 

 trimmed so that the upriglit wall comes in contact with the 

 ground before its fellow when the animal is walked. Unless 



