CORNS 159 



but when again cool and left standing the wretched 

 animal plainly indicates the pain he is suffering by 

 raising the heel of his foot off the ground. Moreover, 

 if there is any doubt as to the cause of lameness, if 

 such results from corns, the inner side of the foot will 

 be considerably higher in temperature than the outer. 

 Unless it is an extreme case and a sinus has begun to 

 form, corns are very easily curable. The first thing to 

 be done is of course to remove the cause — i.e., the 

 shoe. The seat of corn must then be pared down to 

 the quick with a small and sharp drawing-knife, and, 

 if necessary, the operation must extend even deeper, 

 so as to allow the exit of any matter which may have 

 formed. In ordinary cases it is sufficient to cut close 

 to the quick only, but the operation should be gently 

 and carefully performed, and the knife should be as 

 sharp as it can be. This having been done, a poultice 

 of linseed-meal, bran, or turnip should be applied for 

 some two or three days. The part may then be 

 dressed with bluestone or butter of antimony, and a 

 properly-fitting shoe tacked on. Unless the horse is 

 absolutely obliged to be used, a three-quarter shoe will 

 be the best, since there can then be no pressure on the 

 corn ; but such shoes are never satisfactory for working 

 a horse- in, and, if possible, rest, until the horn has 

 sufficiently grown to admit of the horse being put to 

 work again, is by far the best and quickest remedy in 

 the end. 



It is needless to remark that the inflammation caused 

 by corns does the foot, generally speaking, no good, 

 and tends to the production of contracted feet. Some 

 horses are more liable to corns than others, especially 

 those with short, stumpy, inelastic pasterns. Again, 



