790 



DISEASES AND THEIR TBEATMENT. 



FIG. 696. Inferior articulating surface of the navicular 

 bone in a healthy condition. 



After nearly six months' rest, the horse was again put in training 

 for a race, there being no indication of a return of lameness. At 

 this point a new driver was employed, who took it into his head 

 to put on thin-heeled shoes; the consequence was, the first time 

 the horse was speeded, he again fell lame, when, notwithstanding 

 all that could be done, the case became chronic and incurable. 

 As the first stage is that of inflammation, the object should be 



to use such means 

 as will arrest this 

 most speedily, be- 

 fore any alteration 

 of structure takes 

 place, which is usu- 

 ally in from three to 

 six months; for as 

 before explained, if 

 allowed to go on far 

 enough to produce 

 a change of struct- 

 ure, or caries, the 

 case will be past all 

 cure. 



Treatment. The 

 first and most im- 

 portant condition of 

 cure is rest; hence 

 the horse must be at 

 once taken from all 

 work; he must not 

 be, as is commonly 

 the case, allowed to run even in pasture, or anywhere where there 

 would be any freedom to run or walk around much; give him 

 simply the limits of a large, level stall. Remove the shoe by rais- 

 ing the clenches, and pull out the nails one by one; then cut 

 off or hammer down the toe-calk, and partly turn up the toe like 

 the ground surface of an old worn-out shoe. Next, raise the heel- 

 calks from five-eighths to three-quarters of an inch, fit the shoe 

 nicely to the foot, and nail on, being careful not to wrench or 

 hammer it unnecessarily in doing so. Two important points arc 



FIG. 697. Indications of disease. 



FIG. 



J. Inflammation progressed so far as to 

 cause caries of the bone. 



