DISEASES OF THE FOOT. 205 



althousrli the internal sunace is concave, still 

 there is a flat surface for the crust to bear 

 upon. In attempting to cure this disease, it 

 is first necessary to take off the horse's shoes, 

 and to make him stand on a fiat hard surface : 

 this kind of pressure will harden the soles, and 

 in the end render them thicker, particularly if 

 tar be frequently applied to them. I cannot 

 say that 1 have ever seen the disease radically 

 cured by this treatment, but I have known 

 considerable advantage derived from it, espe- 

 ciallv in one case, wnere the soles, from beinjj 

 convex and very thin, became fiat, and suiH- 

 ciently fina to bear moderate pressure with- 

 out inconvenience to the horse. 



We sometimes meet with horses, particu- 

 larly among those that are well bred for the 

 turf, whose pasterns are remarkably long and 

 oblique m their position, while the heels are 

 very low, and the toe of considerable length. 

 If thin heeled shoes were applied to feet of 

 this description, or if the toes were not kept 

 short, the horse would be very liable to lame- 

 ness, from the extraordinary pressure to which 

 the ligaments and back sinews would be ex- 

 posed : the heels therefore of such horses are 

 to be carefully prese.rved, and the toes kept 



