106 OF THE DISEASES 



tial thickness ; and it is essential that it should 

 have a firm bearing on the whole of the crust. 

 Farriers often lose sight of the object of raising 

 the heel, and narrow the web of the shoe and keep 

 it within the crust. The effect of narrowing the 

 web is to cause the heel soon to wear down ; whilst 

 further, the shoe having a bearing only on part of 

 the crust sinks into the foot, and thus the object 

 sought to be attained, namely, the raising of the 

 inside heel, is soon lost, and in a few days the 

 horse again begins to cut. It will be found ad- 

 vantageous in some cases to make the raised heel 

 of steel. 



In other cases, from some peculiarity of gait 

 collision may be prevented by thickening the out- 

 side and lowering the inside heel. When either 

 or both these remedies fail, it is worth while to try 

 the effect of level shoes. 



The most difficult cases to remedy in the hind 

 leg are those where contact takes place on the 

 coronet. This injury is almost always caused by 

 the shoe. The remedy will be to ease off the shoe 

 and to leave the crust projecting. If this fails, a 

 strap must be carefully fitted round the coronet 

 over the seat of injury ; and in very severe cases it 

 may be necessary to protect the strap with a thin 

 plate of steel. 



When there is not time, as sometimes happens, 

 to refit shoes, the easiest temporary remedy is 



