366 



In old cases of sprain the firing iron may often be used v:ith good re- 

 sults. As a rule, severe injuries to the suspensory ligament incapaci- 

 tate the subject for anything but slow, light work, 



OVERREACn. 



An overreach is where the shoe of the hind foot stril^es and injures 

 the heel or quarter of the fore foot. It rarely happens except w^hen the 

 animal is going fast, hence is most common in trotting and running 

 horses. In trotters the accident generally happens when the animal 

 breaks from a trot- to a run. The outside heels and quarters are most 

 liable to the injury. 



Sym])toms. — The coronet at the heel or quarter is bruised or cut, the 

 injury in some instances involving the horn as well. Where the hind 

 foot strikes well back on the heel of the forefoot— an accident known 

 among horsemen as "grabbing" — the shoe may be torn from the fore- 

 foot or the animal may fall to his knees. Horses accustomed to over- 

 reaching are often " bad breakers," for the reason that the pain of the 

 injury so excites them that they can not readily be brought back to the 

 trotting gait. 



Treatment — If the injury is but a slight bruise cold water bandages 

 appliad for a few days will remove all of the soreness. If the parts are 

 deeply cut more or less suppuration will follow, and, as a rule, it is well 

 to poultice the parts for a day or two, after which cold baths may be 

 used, or the wounds dressed with tincture of aloes, oakum, and a roller 

 bandage. 



When an animal is known to be subject to overreaching, he should 

 never be driven fast without quarter-boots, which are specially- made 

 for the protection of the heels ami quarters. 



If there is a disposition to " grab " the forward shoes, the trouble 

 may be remedied by having the heels of these shoes made as short as 

 possible, while the toe of the hind foot should project well over the hind 

 shoe. When circumstances will permit of their use, the forefeet may 

 be shod with the tips instead of the common shoe, as described in the 

 treatment for contracted heels. 



CALK WOUNDS. 



Horses wearing shoes with sharp calks are liable to wounds of the 

 coronary region, either from tramping on themselves, or on each other. 

 These injuries are most common in heavy draught horses, especially on 

 rough roads and slippery streets. The fore feet are more liable than 

 the hind ones, and the seat of injury is commonly on the quarters. In 

 the hind feet the wound often results from the animal resting with the 

 heel of one foot set directly over the front of the other. In these cases 

 the injury is generally close to the horn, and often involves the coronary 

 band, the sensitive iamiuai, the extensor tendon, and even the coffin 

 bone. 



