168 



HORSESHOEING. 



pain, tliere can be little doubt that the nail is responsible for 

 the damage. Remove the shoe by drawing each nail separately 

 and carefully. Examine the nails with reference to their direc- 

 tion and size, as well as to staining with blood, blood-serum, 

 or pus. Immediately after removing the shoe, look for the 

 point of entrance of each nail into the hoof, and if a nail-hole 

 be found upon the edge of the sole (Fig. lS7,h) instead of in 

 the white line, it is highly probable that the nail which passed 



Fig. 187. 



Fig. 186 



Cross-section of a shod hoof, the hoof-skin or 

 pododerm being in red: a, indirect nailing 

 where backsetting has been overdone and has 

 bent the nail; 6, nail properly placed and of 

 correct shape. 



Front hoof deficient in horn: a, right 

 position of the nail-holes in the white 

 line; b, faulty position inside of the 

 white line; c, wall weakened by exces- 

 sive rasping. 



in at that place pressed upon the sensitive tissues of the foot. 

 Every nail-hole should then be searched by passing a clean new 

 nail into it and pressing its point towards the soft tissues at 

 various depths; any indication of pain caused by this act is 

 pretty sure proof of nailing. It stands to reason that the 

 character of the nail-holes in the shoe should be closely 

 examined. 



Treatment. — '\ATien the foot has sustained an ordinary 

 simple prick with a nail, the latter should be left out and the 

 hole well filled with wax. As a rule, no serious results follow. 



