150 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY 



pressure on certain parts by the growing of the 

 horny substance of the hoof In shoeing, too, the 

 bars are very often cut away, and this renders it 

 necessary to be bevelled inward, so as to accom- 

 modate it to this injurious and ridiculous shaping of 

 the foot ; consequently an unnatural disposition to 

 contraction is induced by this slanting inward direc- 

 tion of the heel of the shoe. From this the sole is 

 subjected to double liability to injury ; first, by being 

 pressed upon by the shoe, and, second, by being 

 squeezed between the outer crust and the external 

 portion of the bar. This angle is less able to bear 

 pressure than any other portion of the foot, being 

 more exposed to accidental bruises and injuries of 

 different kinds, in consequence of the shoe being 

 made unnecessarily narrow at the heel. 



There can be little doubt but corns are mainly 

 owing to faults in shoeing, as well as the fact of 

 shoeing itself, however well performed, preventing 

 the due expansion of the horn when the sole is 

 growing downwards, and thus confining and injuring 

 this portion of the sole. And it is easy to imagine 

 that if the shoe is badly constructed, or allowed to 

 remain too long on, that corns must be induced. 

 This effect will be rendered manifest by an attentive 

 observation of the foot in Plate vi, fig. 10. When 

 paring is not attended to in shoeing, or when it is 

 injudiciously extended to the bars, the evil of corns 

 is likely to arise. This unnatural pressure of the 

 sole causes the blood to be thrown out, which enters 

 into the pores of the soft and diseased horn which 

 is then secreted ; and by the colour and softness of 

 the horn at this place, the existence and extent of 

 the corn is judged. 



Remedies. — The cure of corns is difficult and un- 



