CARE OF LEGS AND FEET. 345 



bedding on horses' feet has been discussed on page 264. 

 The presence of thrush can be easily recognised by the foul 

 smell from the frog, and by the open condition of the cleft 

 of the frog, which in health is merely a depression in the 

 middle line of the frog, and does not communicate with the 

 sensitive structures of the foot. Burnt alum is a safe and 

 useful application for thrush. About a teaspoonful of it 

 may be stuffed into the cleft of the frog, which can after- 

 wards be filled up with cotton-wool or tow, in order to keep 

 it clean. It is an instructive fact that the drier the soil upon 

 which horses are reared and kept, the better are their feet. 

 The effect of moisture on horn is to make it soft and weak. 

 Hence we find, that although horses can be moderately 

 worked on unmetalled roads in India and other hot countries 

 during the dry weather, they have to be shod as soon as the 

 rains begin. Horses' feet to be serviceable, should be hard. 

 A horse with good hard feet would be able to trot without 

 flinching, on a road covered with freshly broken stones ; he 

 would not go lame if he picked up, even in a fore shoe, a stone 

 which did not project below the level of the shoe ; and if 

 he lost a shoe, he would be able to go barefoot for a few 

 miles without becoming foot-sore. It is evident that such 

 an animal will be a much safer conveyance, either in saddle 

 or harness, than a horse which is in any way tender on his 

 feet. We should therefore refrain from having our horses* 

 feet washed. For purposes of cleanliness, the hoof-picker 

 and a dry brush will be sufficient for the frog and sole, and 

 a damp rubber for the outside of the hoof. The argument 

 might be advanced, that it is unreasonable to object to a 

 moderate washing of the feet and legs in the stable ; because, 

 during an ordinary day's work, these parts are often kept 

 wet for hours without any harm being done to them. To- 

 this I would reply, that the water encountered outside is a 

 necessary evil, the ill effects of which are obviated to a great 



