HORSESHOEING. 197 



hoof (corns, contraction, flat or full hoof), the addition of a 

 leather sole with packing will be most beneficial, not only in 

 favoring the healing of the crack, but also in improving the 

 form of the hoof and in favoring the cure of the other lesions. 

 In all coronary cracks it is of advantage to assist healing by 

 fastening or immobilizing the borders of the crack by one of the 

 following methods : - 



1. By rivets (nails), which pass across the crack through 

 holes previously drilled in the horn (Fig. 217). 



2. By clamps or hooks, which by means of special pincers 

 are forced into pockets previously burnt into the horn on 

 opposite sides of the crack (Fig. 219, B). 



3. By a thin iron plate placed across the crack and secured 

 by small screws, such as are used in wood (Figs. 220, 221). 



4. By means of a bandage to last one shoeing. 



Toe-crack occurs most often in draught-horses and most fre- 

 quently in the hind feet. In shod hoofs it starts at the coronary 

 border, and unless proper treatment is instituted soon reaches 

 the plantar border. Long toes and low quarters and excessive 

 dryness of the horn are predisposing causes. The exciting 

 cause is usually for^vard pressure of the upper end of the 

 'short pastern against the thin upper edge of the wall of the 

 toe. In the last part of the phase of contact of hoof with 

 ground the pasterns are upright, or may even incline do^\mward 

 and backward (foot axis broken strongly backward), the short 

 pastern presses the coronary band firmly against the upper thin 

 edge of the toe, when *if brittle through dryness it is unable to 

 stretch and tears asunder. Thus, under the effort of starting 

 a heavy load, when a horse with all four legs flexed has risen 

 upon the points of his toes, a short quick slip followed by a 

 catch, vnW frequently start a crack at the coronet. 



The hoof should be so dressed and shod that the foot-axis 

 shall be straight when seen from the side. In hind feet it is 

 admissible to break the foot axis slightly fonvard. Therefore, 

 shorten the toe and spare the quartetrs. If the latter are 



