250 MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS. 



vgry imperfectly with a saw ; and violently spreading the heels, and 

 thus, in a measure, bursting the shell apart, will produce violent in- 

 flammation and lameness. Spreading the heels even in some cases a 

 quarter of an inch, but little resistance may be shown, the horse may 

 walk to his stable all right ; but in a few hours, if examined, he may be 

 in great pain, possibly in a high state of fever. It is really very doubt- 

 ful policy for you to intrust a good horse in the hands of doubtful 

 men who travel the country, assuming to cure all sorts of lameness by 

 this system of treatment. 



The first thing to be done in the way of curing contraction, is to 

 thoroughly soak the feet, by tying two or three thicknesses of blanket 

 around the feet and keeping wet for 24 hours, or standing the feet 

 in a tub in which is some mud. When the horn is soft, cut down 

 the feet level to the point of removing the superfluous horn ; now, 

 with a knife adapted to the purpose, weaken the horn between the 

 heel and point of the frog, especially back, near, and at the point 

 of the heel. This done properly on both sides, fit a shoe of the 

 simple flat kind accurately to the shell. Well back at the turn on 

 each side, cut or file out enough, as shown in the Tyrrell shoe, but 

 further back, so that it will bend as desired, about at the widest part. 

 Now lay on the shoe as intended to be nailed, and mark on the outside 

 over the inside of the bar at the point of the heel ; punch or drill two 

 holes through, if you can, obliquely the direction of the bar; make 

 and drive two strong spikes from the ground surface up. Now bend 

 and file these spikes so that they will extend up and back inside the 

 bar at the point of the heels. The shoe must fit all round : there must 

 be special attention to having those spikes fit, resting against the bar, 

 but not so long as to come against the sole above. Nail on now care- 

 fully. Do not, by any means, allow the nails to be large, or rasping 

 of the shell outside. This done, spread the shoe not over three- 

 sixteenths of an inch, if shoe is fitted close. The heels, it is seen, 

 are spread so far as the shoe is opened. This spreading should be 

 repeated once every one or two days, but never more than an eighth of 

 an inch at a time, but follow it up until the foot is brought back to its 

 natural shape. 



If the HEELS are WEAK, do not grow horn enough, do not cut away 

 any when paring for the shoe. Simply level the foot, being as careful 

 as you can not to waste by undue cutting where there is none to spare. 

 The shoe should be fitted carefully, and in this case must, in a measure, 

 protect the foot. For where the horn is light at the heel, the sole is 

 also usually light, and will not bear pressure. 



If there is a CORN, you must protect that part from pressure, and 

 this is done best by bringing pressure on the frog with a bar shoe ; but 

 if there is weakness or inflammation in the coffin-joint, this is not by 

 any means advisable, as it would aggravate the difficulty. You must 

 now use an ordinary open shoe with middling high heel-corks, with no 

 toe-cork ; on the contrary, you should round the toe to imitate an old 

 shoe, by bending or turning up the toe. If the horse is stiff and sore, 

 in all cases round the toe, so that the foot will naturally roll a little, 

 and thus in a measure relieve the strain upon the machinery of the 



