FALSE QUARTER. 393 



There is a singular species of over-reaching, termed foroino or oxjckino. 

 The horse, in the act of trotting, strikes the toes of the hind shoes against the 

 fore ones. The noise of the clicking is unpleasant, and the trick or habit 

 is not altogether free from danger. It is most frequent in young horses, and ia 

 attributable to too great activity or length of stride in the hind legs. The rider 

 may do something by keeping the head of the horse well up ; but the smith 

 can effect more by making the hind shoes of clicking horses short in the toe, 

 and having the web broad. When they are too long, they are apt to be torn off 

 — when too narrow, the hind foot may bruise the sole of the fore one, or may be 

 locked fast between the branches of the fore shoe *. 



FALSE QUARTER. 



If the coronary ligament, by which the horn of the crust is secreted, is divided 

 by some cut or bruise, or eaten through by any caustic, there will occasionally 

 be a division in the horn as it grows down, either in the form of a permanent 

 sand-crack, or one portion of the horn overlapping the other. It occasionally 

 follows neglected sand-crack, or it may be the consequence of quittor. This is 

 exteriorly an evident fissure in the horn, and extending from the coronet to 

 the sole, but not always penetrating to the laminae. It is a very serious 

 defect, and exceedingly difficult to remedy ; for occasionally, if the horse is 

 over- weighted or hurried on his journey, the fissure will open and bleed, and 

 very serious inconvenience and lameness may ensue. Grit and dirt may insinu- 

 ate itself into the aperture, and penetrate to the sensible lamina:. Inflamma- 

 tion will almost of necessity be produced ; and much mischief will be effected. 

 While the energies of the animal are not severely taxed, he may not experience 

 much inconvenience or pain ; but the slightest exertion will cause the fissure 

 to expand, and painful lameness to follow. 



This is not only a very serious defect, but one exceedingly difficult to remedy. 

 The coronary ligament must be restored to its perfect state, or at least to the 

 discharge of its perfect function. Much danger would attend the application of 

 the caustic in order to effect this. A blister is rarely sufficiently active : but 

 the application, not too severely, of a heated flat or rounded iron to the coronet 

 at the injured part affords the best chance of success — the edges of the horn 

 on either side of the crack being thinned, the hoof supported — and the separated 

 parts held together by a firm encasement of pitch, as described when speaking 

 of the treatment of sand-crack. The coronet must be examined at least once in 

 every fortnight, in order to ascertain whether the desired union has taken 

 place ; and, as a palliative during the treatment of the case, or if the treatment 

 should be unsuccessful, a bar-shoe may be used, and care taken that there 

 be no bearing at or immediately under the separation of the horn. This will bo 

 best effected, when the crust is thick and the quarters strong, by paring off a little 

 of the bottom of the crust at the part, so that it shall not touch the shoe ; but 

 if the foot is weak, an indentation or hollow should be made in the shoe. Strain 

 or concussion on the immediate part will thus be avoided, and, in sudden or 

 violent exertion, the crack will not be so likely to extend upward to the coronet, 

 when whole and sound hom has begun to be formed there t. 



In some cases false quarter assumes a less serious character. The horn 

 grows down whole, but the ligament is unable to secrete that which is perfectly 



* Stewart's Stable Economy, p. 393. a uhoe of such a construction as will support 



t James Clark, whose works have not been the limb without resting or pressing too much 



valued as they deserve, expresses in few words upon the weakened quarter." A proper 6top- 



the real state of the case, and the course that ping should also cover the sole, on which 



should be pursued :— some coarse tow may be placed, and a piece of 



" We may so far palliate the complaint as leather over that ; the wholo being confined 



to render the horse something useful by using by a broad web- shoe. 



