THE FOOT. 93 



often flinch and limp on striking against or stepping upon 

 an obstruction, when he would not mind it in wet weather. 

 Don't oil the hoof. It does not take the place of water, and 

 filling the hoof cells keeps out moisture when it comes. 

 Soak in a tub, or by packing the feet with linseed meal 

 mush or wet moss. If a tub is not handy, stand the horse 

 on a thick blanket folded several times and soaked in water. 

 Moisten the walls by a loose bandage about each fetlock, 

 pouring on warm water frequently. Many of the hoof oint- 

 ments, moreover, are positively injurious if regularly used to 

 any extent. They are generally of a character to injure the 

 hoof, shutting up the pores in the horn, thus retarding or 

 preventing the natural and proper circulation in the hoof and 

 producing ruinous results. 



When some horses lie down they strike the back part of 

 the fore leg with the calks of their shoes and bruise it. After 

 awhile a callous comes on and a sore. The only way to 

 prevent it is to put a thick pad around the horse when stand- 

 ing in the stable, to keep the shoe from bruising the place. 

 Dress the sore with any sort of liniment, an i grease it till 

 it is healed. 



Puncture. It is dangerous for a horse to step on a nail, as 

 it is likely to result in lockjaw. Have the blacksmith cut 

 out the puncture down to tender flesh, then fill the opening 

 with a five per cent, solution of carbolic acid and pack with 

 cotton to keep out dirt, and repeat daily, soaking the foot in 

 clean warm water before dressing. 



Navicular Disease is indicated by a shrunken shoulder, 

 and a contracted foot that is placed several inches in advance 

 of the other while at rest. This is an inflammation or ulcer- 

 ation of the pedal sesamoid at the point where the tendons 

 play over it. The symptoms are often very obscure, accord- 

 ing to the stage of the disease, and the lameness is attributed 



