266 CUTTING THE PASTERNS. 



the navicular bone. It seems oftenest to be a want of power in 

 the ligaments of the joints generally, produced by frequent and 

 severe sprains, or by ill-judged and cruel exertion. Professor 

 Stewart very truly says, that "it is common among all kinds of 

 fast workers, and long journeys at a fast pace will make almost 

 any horse groggy. Bad shoeing and want of stable care may 

 help to increase, but never can alone produce grogginess. It is 

 one of the evils of excessive work." In the majority of cases it 

 admits of no remedy.* 



CUTTIlfG. 



The inside of the fetlock is often bruised by the shoe or the hoof 

 of the opposite foot. Many expedients used to be tried to remove 

 this ; the inside heel has been raised and lowered, and the out- 

 side raised and lowered ; and sometimes one operation has suc- 

 ceeded, and sometimes the contrary ; and there was no point so 

 involved in obscurity, or so destitute of principles to guide tho 

 practitioner. The most successful remedy, and that which in the 

 great majority of cases supersedes all others, is Mr. Turner's shoe, 

 of equal thickness from heel to toe, and having but one nail, and 

 that near the toe on the inside of the shoe ; care being taken that 

 the shoe shall not extend beyond the edge of the crust, and that 

 the crust shall be rasped a little at the quarters. 



There are some defects, however, in the natural form of the 

 horse, which are the causes of cutting, and which no contrivance 

 will remedy ; as when the legs are placed too near to each other, 

 or when the feet are turned inward or outward. A horse with 

 these defects should be carefully examined at the inside of the fet- 

 lock, and if there are any sore or callous places from cutting, 

 there will be sufficient reason for rejecting the animal. Some 

 horses will cut only when they are fatigued or lame, and old ; 

 many colts will cut before they arrive at their full strength.! 



THE PASTERNS. 



A consideration of the pasterns will throw more light upon this 

 and other diseases of the extremities. 



* Note by Mr. Spooner. — The term grogginess is applied by horsemen to 

 elight lameness, which goes off with exercise, and which is shown in the sta- 

 ble by the animal pointing the affected foot. The seat of the disease is the 

 navicular joint, and it is altogether unconnected with that knuckling of the 

 fetlock which is often seen in horses much worked, and which appears to be 

 owing to weakness of the sinews, principally of the extensors. 



\ Note by Mr. Spooner. — This evil is sometimes removed by shoeing the 

 horse very thin on the inside, or even giving him a three-quarter shoe, tlie 

 tendency of which plan is to make the horse carry his feet wider apart ; but, 

 iu some cases the very opposite plan is found the best 



