DISEASES OF HORSES. 237 



Prevention may be practised by avoiding the acting causes. As 

 soon as at all suspected to be likely to occur; keep the hoofs pared 

 low ; never suffer the horse to stand on litter, nor allow the stable 

 to be too hot : feed moderately, and never allow the horse to go 

 without daily exercise ; whatever increases the general fulness of 

 habit flies to the feet. Above all, keep the feet moist by means of 

 wet cloths tied closely around the coronet, falling over the whole 

 hoof, but not extending beyond the edge. Then moisten repeatedly, 

 and stop the feet (166) every night. When contraction has already 

 taken place, many plans have been recommended ; as jointed shoes, 

 by Coleman, Clark, and others, but it is not found that mechanical 

 expansion in this way produces permanent benefit. The most 

 effectual mode is to obviate all previous causes of contraction ; and 

 then to thin the hoofs around the heels from each quarter so thin as 

 to be able to produce an impression by means of the thumb ; in fact, 

 to remove so much of the horn as is consistent w^ith safety, from 

 the coronet downwards. It is also prudent to put in a score or two 

 from above downwards, drawn a quarter of an inch deep on each 

 side towards the front of the hoof; but whether this be done or not, 

 the front of the hoof should be rasped thin about an inch in width ; 

 by which means a hinge is formed, which operates most advanta- 

 geously in opening the heels. After this is done, tips should be put 

 on, and the horse should be turned out to grass, where he should 

 remain three months, by which time the new formed heels will have 

 reached the ground, and will bear a shoe. 



100. The pumiced foot is a very common consequence of acute 

 founder, in which the elasticity of the laminae becoming destroyed 

 the support of the coffin bone is removed, and it rests wholly on- the 

 sole, which it gradually sinks from a concave to a convex surface, 

 drawing with it the front of the hoof inwards. In weak, broad 

 heavy feet, this evil comes on sometimes without founder; the 

 treatment can only be palliative, a wide webbed shoe exactly fitted 

 to the foot, without at all pressing on it, prevents the lameness 

 consequent to the disease, a shoe exactly the contrary to this has 

 been tried in some cases with benefit, the form of which has been 

 one with a web so narrow as only to cover the crust, but so thick 

 as to remove the feet from accidental pressure. In other cases, no 

 shoe answers so well as a strong bar shoe. 



101. Corns are most troublesome aliments, to which horses are 

 very liable, and which injure and ruin thousands ; they are wholly 

 accidental ; no horse having any peculiar tendency to them, but 

 being always brought on them by some improper pressure, usually 



