STABLES. 103 



of the hoof, from which an offensive and rather thin discharge 

 exudes. The treatment should consist in liberal but not heating 

 food ; but on the whole, as this disease may require delicate opera- 

 tions, it should be professionally treated. 



Navicular disease, and nearly every kind of foot lameness laid 

 to the charge of this disease, consists in : first, inflammation of 

 the synovial capsule of the navicular joint, resulting from inflamma- 

 tion of the perforans tendon, which passes under the navicular, and 

 is attached to the pedal bone. It is met with in the very best and 

 strongest-looking feet, and the degree of lameness occasioned by it 

 is very variable. When ulceration occurs the synovial capsule is 

 absorbed, and the tendon comes into contact with the bone. The 

 horse will usually rest the affected foot when standing at his ease. 

 He will be much more lame on leaving than on returning to the 

 stable, the friction of the parts giving rise to a temporary secretion 

 of synovia. When the disease is at all advanced, all treatment 

 will be hopeless ; but, in the early stages of the disease, bleeding 

 at the toe, followed by emollient poultices, will be found beneficial, 

 when combined with rest in a roomy and cool box, well littered 

 with fresh tan. This disease is easily distinguished from laminitis 

 by the horse ' walking' perfectly sound. A hunter or steeplechaser 

 affected with this disease need not be despaired of, as such horses 

 will go over soft ground perfectly well and soundly. Only they 

 should be ridden to and from cover at a pace not exceeding a walk. 

 Indeed, on a road, no horse affected with navicular disease should 

 be ridden at a greater speed than a walk, since more or less pain 

 will be occasioned by the concussion. 



Founder, fever in the feet, or laminitis consists in inflammation 

 of the laminae and the adjacent parts of the foot. It is caused by 

 continued exertion on hard ground, straining the crust beyond its 

 poxvers ; but the most frequent cause is an injury to the knee or 

 shoulder of the horse, on account of which he is fearful of lying 

 down, and thus the continuance of an upright position causes too 

 severe a strain of the sensitive laminns. In this case a lengthened 

 rest after the cause has subsided, on puddled clay during the day- 

 time, with a plentiful litter at night, will be absolutely necessary to 

 effect a permanent cure. Where the horse has to continue his 

 work, his feet should be placed in two buckets of cool water after 

 coming in from exercise, and allowed to remain there so long as 

 the horse feels disposed to maintain the same position. Mr. Collins 

 states that he has more than once seen horses neigh for the buckets 



