CORNS 327 



touches the horn at this point ; and, thus, before the horse has 

 been shod a fortnight, the shoe rests on this angle, and produces 

 corns. The use of a shoe for the fore feet, thickened at the heels, 

 IS, and especially in weak feet, a source of corns, from the undue 

 bearing there is on the heels, and the concussion to which they 

 are subject. 



Corns are most frequent and serious in horses with thin horn 

 and flat soles, and low weak heels. They do not often occur in 

 the outside heel. It is of a stronger construction than the inside 

 one. The method adopted by shoeing-smiths to ascertain the 

 existence of com by the pain evinced when they pinch the bar 

 and crust with their irons, is very fallacious. If the horn is 

 naturally thin, the horse will shrink under no great pressure al- 

 though he has no corn, and occasionally the bars are so strong as 

 not to give way under any pressure. 



The cure of old corns is difficult ; for as all shoeing has some 

 tendency to produce pressure here, the habit of throwing out this 

 diseased horn is difficult to get rid of when once contracted ; re- 

 cent corns, however, will yield to good shoeing. 



The first thing to be done is well to pare oiit the angle between 

 the crust and the bars. Two objects are answered by this : the 

 extent of the disease will be ascertained, and one cause of it re 

 moved. A very small drawing-knife must be used for this pur 

 pose. The corn must be pired out to the very bottom, taking 

 care not to wound the sole. It may then be discovered whether 

 there is any effusion of blood or matter underneath. If this is 

 suspected, an opening must be made through the horn, the mat- 

 ter evacuated, the separated horn taken away, the course and 

 extent of the sinuses explored, and the treatment recommended 

 for quittor adopted. Should there be no collection of fluid, the 

 butyr of antimony should be applied over the whole extent of the 

 com, after the horn has been thinned as closely as possible. The 

 object of this is to stimulate the sole to throw out more healthy 

 horn. In bad cases a bar-shoe may be put on, so chambered, 

 that there shall be no pressure on the diseased part. This may 

 be worn for one or two shoeings, but not constantly, for there 

 are few frogs that would bear the constant pressure of the bar- 

 shoe ; and the want of pressure on the heel, generally occasioned 

 by their use, would produce a softened and bulbous state of the 

 heels, that would of itself be an inevitable source of lameness. 



The cause of corn is a most important subject of inquiry, and 

 which a careful examination of the foot and the shoe will easily 

 discover. The cause being ascertained, the effect may, to a great 

 extent, be afterwards removed. Turning out to grass, after the 

 horn is a little grown, first with a bar-shoe, and afterwards with 

 the shoe fettered on one side, or vith tips, will often be service- 



