LINIMENT FOR HEELS. 165 



heel and toe, and fastened to it firmly, a piece of thin 

 steel or piece of saw-plate, the whole to form a flat, even 

 surface. Fit this to the foot as nicely as you can, and nail 

 it on firmly. Now take some oakum saturated with oil of 

 tar, reduced with a little oil ; the oil of tar itself being 

 too stimulating. Stuff the oakum between the shoe and 

 sole until there is an equal firm pressure upon the whole 

 sole and frog. Remember, however, it is unnatural to 

 have the frog and sole covered : thrush may result, but we 

 choose the least evil for the time until we can grow horn. 

 The best thing I have found to grow a good, healthy con- 

 dition of horn, and keep the hoof soft and elastic, is the 

 following 



LINIMENT FOB SORE, CONTBACTED, AND WEAK 

 HEELS. 



Venice turpentine, half pint ; aqua ammonia, two ounces ; 

 salts of nitre, one ounce ; benzoin, one ounce ; alcohol, 

 three ounces : apply to the edge of the hair, and all over 

 the foot, two or three times a week. This will grow the 

 hoof rapidly, and make good, healthy horn. A mild 

 blister to the heel and coronet, repeating as you would an 

 ordinary ointment for a month or two, will grow horn 

 rapidly by exciting circulation to the coronary ring from 

 which the horn is grown j but it should be followed up 

 with the above liniment. 



BREAKING DOWN OF THE SOLE. 



If a horse is foundered, and inflammation is allowed to 

 go on, the connection of the hoof and coffin-bone is liable 

 to give way, and break the sole down. It is evident, if the 

 sole is weak, and unable to support the weight of the body, 

 there is but one alternative : it must be supported, and we 

 must now study how to do this best. Have made a good 

 strong, flat shoe, with bar across the centre of the sole 

 well forward towards the toe. To do this, weld in a piece 

 of flat iron, which should come a little lower than the sur- 

 face of the shoe, according to the foot. 



Fit on the shoe carefully, and nail on firmly ; now fit a piece 

 of leather under the sole ; over this piece of iron, across 

 the sole, pour in a solution of tar and tallow to cover the 



