204 HORSESHOEING. 



consideration by tlie shoer until it lias grown do^vn so far that 

 it comes within the region of the nails. 



In order not to disfigure the hoof unnecessarily, the horn 

 below the cleft should be kept in place as long as possible by 

 shortening the wall at that point, to remove shoe-pressure, and 

 by driving no nails into it. If, however, the horn is loose and 

 about to come away, it should be removed and the defect filled 

 with Defay's patent horn-cement. 



3. Loose Wall. 



Separation of the wall from the 'sole in the white line is 

 called loose wall (Fig. 223, a). 



Occurrence. — Frequent on the fore-hoofs of shod and un- 

 shod horses, and oftener upon the inner than upon the outer 

 side. More rare on hind hoofs. Common-bred horses vnth. \^dde 

 and flat feet are predisposed to this trouble. 



We distinguish superficial and deep loose wall; only the 

 latter requires the sheer's attention, because it leads to lameness. 



Causes. — Walls which are very oblique (slanting) ; outward 

 bendings of the plantar border of the wall ; burning the horn 

 with hot shoes ; dryness ; neglected shoeing ; excessive softening 

 of the horn with poultices, particularly of cow-dung; careless- 

 ness in preparing the bearing-surfaces of hoof and shoe in shoe- 

 ing ; uneven fitting of the shoe. 



Treatment. — It aims to remove the lameness and to favor 

 growth of coherent horn. In the first place the removal of the 

 exciting causes, followed by proper shortening of the wall. We 

 should apply a shoe whose bearing-surface inclines slightly down- 

 ivard and imcard, is perfectly smooth, and wide enough to cover 

 the wall, white line, and outer border of the sole; the iron should 

 be only moderately warm. Where there is lameness we use a 

 leather sole with packing, or a bar-shoe. The loose wall should 

 be freed from shoe-pressure only when it does not extend far 

 along the white line. When the separation is extensive the loose 

 wall should not be lowered. The crack should be filled with 

 wood-tar, ciiide turpentine, or soft gi-afting-wax. 



