372 



is soft, moist, and elastic to a remarkable degree. It is the function 

 of the frog to destroy shock and to prevent slipping. 



The sensitive lamince, are thin plates of soft tissue, covering the 

 entire anterior surface of the coffin bone. They are present in great 

 numbers, and by fitting into corresponding grooves on the inner 

 surface of the horn of the wall the union of the soft and horny tissues 

 is made complete. (Plate XXIX, Fig. 1.) 



The planiar cushion is a thick pad of fibrous tissue, placed behind 

 and under the navicular and coffin bones, and resting on tlie sole and 

 frog, for the i^urpose of receiving the downward i^ressure of the column 

 of bones and to destroy shock. (Plate XXIX, Fig. 4.) 



The lateral cartilages are attached, one on either side, to the wings 

 of the coffin bone b}' their inferior borders. They are thin plates of 

 fibro-cartilage, and their function is to assist the frog and adjacent 

 structures to regain their proper position after having been displaced 

 by the weight of the body while the foot rested on the ground. (Plate 

 XXIX, Fig. 2.) 



FAULTS OF CONFORMATION. 



A large percentage of the horses have feet which are not perfect in 

 conformation, and as a consequence of these imperfections they are 

 especially predisposed to certain injuries and diseases. 



Flat feet is that condition in which the sole has little or no con- 

 vexity. It is a peculiarity common to some breeds, especially heav^% 

 l3^mi)hatic animals raised on low, marshy soils. It is confined to the 

 forefeet, which are generally broad, low heeled, and with a wall less 

 upright than is seen in the perfect foot. 



In flat-foot there can be little or no elasticity in the sole, for the 

 reason that it has no arch, and the weight of the animal is received 

 on the entire plantar surface as it rests upon the ground instead of on 

 the wall. For these reasons such feet are i^articularly liable to bruises 

 of the sole, corns, pumiced sole, and excessive suppuration Avhen the 

 process is once establislied. Horses with flat-foot should be shod 

 with a shoe having a wide web, pressing on the wall only, while the 

 heels and frog are never to be pared. Flat-foot generally has weak 

 walls, and as a consequence the nails of the shoe are readily loosened 

 and the shoe cast. 



Clubfoot is a term applied to such feet as have the wall set nearly 

 perpendicular. When this condition is present the heels are high, 

 the fetlock joint is thrown forward, or knuckles, and the weight of 

 the animal is received on the toes. Many mules are clubfooted, 

 especially behind, where it seems to cause little or no inconvenience. 

 Clubfoot may be cured by cutting the tendons in severe cases, but as 

 a rule special shoeing is the only measure of relief that can be adopted. 

 The toe should not be pared, but the heels are to be lowered as much 

 as possible, and a shoe put on with a long projecting toe piece, slightly 

 turned up, wliilc the heels of the shoe are to be made thin. 



