74 EXAMINATION OF HORSES 
“nerving,” then all other injuries declare themselves 
through azz, or if of a painless character, can usually 
be seen. 
Brittle hoof is an unsoundness when it won’t bear the 
nails with which the shoe is fastened. You may, and 
often have, “seedy toe” as a complication. Brittle 
hoof is frequently present in the autumn when the coat 
is being cast. You then often find a dry, dead coat; 
and, as hair and hoof are identical tissues, the hoof 
also suffers with the coat. Prolonged derangement of 
‘the digestive organs will also similarly affect these 
structures at any time. It may be also due to con- 
gested feet; if so you have increased heat, quite per- 
ceptible to the feel, and if you have not a “feely”. 
ambling gait, this is soon induced in the way before” 
described. In this latter case the brittleness will be 
of a permanent character very likely, but in the former 
far more temporary, but yet an unsoundness. 
Pricks in shoeing may be of any magnitude, from the 
simple “drawback,” to use the smith’s phraseology, to 
a suppurating sinus appearing at the top of the hoof 
(Quittor). In their minor forms they will be detected , 
by 
1. Lameness. 
2. A left-out nail. 
3. Tapping the sole and wall with a hammer. 
Gathered nails almost invariably penetrate the highest 
part of the arch formed by the sole (the point of the 
frog), and give rise to marked lameness. 
