180 DISEASES OF THE HORSE'S FOOT 



taining the sand-crack thus prevented from participating in 

 the movements of the foot. For our own part, we consider 

 the V" s h a P e d incision, or either of the horizonal methods 

 oi grooving, preferable to lines running in the direction of 

 the horn fibres. With the latter there is certainly a greater 

 tendency to the formation of new cracks than with either 

 of those we advocate. The V~ sna P e d incision we consider 

 most suitable of all, for the reason that by its means a 

 greater degree of immobility is conferred upon the necessary 

 portion of the wall. 



Whichever method is adopted, care should be taken to 

 carry the grooves deep enough into the horn, taking them 

 down as near as possible to the sensitive structures. At 

 the same time, especial care should be exercised in not 

 carrying them too deep at their extreme upper limit, or in 

 that case the liability to the formation of fresh cracks in 

 those positions will be greatly increased. 



After grooving, a sharp blister should be applied to the 

 coronet every three or four weeks, and the animal, if free 

 from lameness, put to work. 



(c) By stripping away a V-shaped Portion of the Wall 

 around the Crack. — This method is only indicated when 

 the crack is greatly complicated by the presence of pus, or 

 by the growth of adventitious horn on the inner surface of 

 the wall. A radical cure is thus obtained, but the animal 

 for a longer time incapacitated from work. 



The operation is best performed by first grooving a line 

 to connect the points a and c (Fig. 97). This should run 

 immediately under the coronary margin of the wall, and 

 should stop short of injuring the coronary cushion beneath. 

 Grooves forming the sides ab and be of the triangular 

 piece of horn are next made, and the horn contained within 

 the lines ab, be, and ca, carefully removed. The grooves 

 are the easiest made by a cautious use of the firing-iron' 

 The greater thickness of the horn may thus be penetrated, 

 and the grooves afterwards carried to their full and 

 requisite depth by the use of the drawing-knife. 



With the removal of the horn the diseased structures 



