the trotting horse, which batters his feet on the hard stones 

 at a terrible rate, and in order to give him high action, there 

 is, in addition to the iron shoe (which is so many pounds 

 weight), another lovely invention, v/hich consists of a piece 

 of leather strapped around the pasterns and containing so 

 many ounces or pounds of lead as the caprice of the owner 

 requires. No doubt, there is high action for some time, but 

 the consequence is that one of these horses will wear out 

 two pairs of feet in three or four years. 



As a racer, the animal has to strain every nerve and sinewj 

 so that sprain of the tendons or rupture of some important 

 part is not unfrequent. The truck horse, as well as the 

 hack for carriages, is constantly on his mettle, and often 

 beaten without mercy or humanity. Thus, as an animal of 

 action, labor, and speed, it is no wonder that there are so 

 many diseases of the feet and limbs. 



ACUTE LAMINITIS. 



FEVER IN THE FEET, FOUNDER. 



This disease of the horse is supposed to be known by 

 every man that works around stables, every coachman or 

 horseshoer knows all about its seat, and nature, and each of 

 these has a remedy which is powerful if not efficacious. It 

 is hoped that from the explanation given in a former chapter 

 as to the structure and function of these parts which are the 

 subject of injury, it can be easily understood that it is not 

 every inexperienced person who understands the treatment 

 of this and kindred diseases of the horse's foot. We under- 

 stand by Laminitis inflammation of the laminae which cov- 

 ers the coffin bone ; but in nearly all cases of this kind the 

 inflammation is not confined to this alone, but extends to 

 the whole of the sensitive foot. This tissue is confined be- 

 tween the coffin bone and the horny hoof, and this fact of 

 itself considerably aggravates the inflammation and the pro- 

 ducts of that inflammation. 



