178 THB HORSE. 



the foot for the shoe by shortening the toe as much as possible, leaving 

 the heels high ; or if the foot is prepared in the usual way the shoe 

 should be thin in front, with thick heels and high calks. For the hind 

 feet a long-heeled shoe with calks seems to do best. When possible, the 

 causes of knuckling are to be removed, but since this can not always be 

 done, the time may come when the patient can no longer perform any 

 service, particularly in those cases where both fore-legs are affected, and 

 it becomes necessary either to destroy the animal or secure relief by 

 surgical interference. In such cases the operation is beyond the skill of 

 the ordinary horseman, and an expert should be consulted. 



Over-reaching, An over-reach is where the shoe of the hind foot 

 strikes and injures the heel or quarter of the fore foot. It rarely hap- 

 pens except when 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. 



Symptoms. 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 fore-foot (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 trot- 

 ting gait. 



Treatment. If the injury is but a slight bruise cold water ban- 

 dages applied 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 over-reaching, he should 

 never be driven fast without quarter-boots, which are speciall}^ made for 

 the protection of the heels and 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 pos- 

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

 shoe. When circumstances will permit of their use, the fore-feet may be 

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

 ment for contracted heels. 



