2 DISEASES OF THE HORSE’S FOOT 
properly trimmed, its shape is liable to serious alteration. 
From that in which it is best calculated to withstand the 
effects of the wear it will be called upon to endure in after 
life, it may become go changed for the worse as to seriously 
affect the animal’s value. 
In the matter of feeding, too, trouble is likely to ensue, 
Particularly is this the case where the colt shows points 
of exceptional merit. He is ‘got up’ for show, and the 
feet are likely to fall victims to the mismanagement that 
frequent exhibition so often carries with it. An extra 
allowance of peas, beans, wheat, or other equally injurious 
food is given. The result is a severe attack of laminitis, 
and an otherwise valuable and promising colt is perma- 
nently ruined. 
Exposed as it is, too, to injury, the foot of a young horse, 
even at grass, is frequently the seat of injuries from picked 
up nails, stakes, or other agents which, unless detected and 
carefully treated, may terminate in a troublesome case of 
quittor and incurable lameness. 
‘With the passing of colthood, and the coming into effect 
of the evils of further domestication, the troubles to which 
the foot is open become more numerous. Foremost among 
them will come those having their starting-point in errors 
of practice originating in the forge; for, in spite of attempts 
at their education, smiths, as a class, are as yet grievously 
unversed in even the elementary knowledge of-the delicate 
construction of the member that is entrusted to their care. 
This fact has been dilated on in books devoted to shoeing, 
and in the prefatory note to the last edition of Fleming’s 
manual on this subject we find the following statement: 
‘The records of all humane societies show that, of prosecu- 
tions for cruelty to animals, an overwhelming majority 
refer to the horse; and of these, a large proportion are for 
working horses while suffering from lameness in one form 
or other. 
‘So frequent are such cases that observers have concluded 
that their prevalence must result from some specific cause, 
and, not unnaturally, attention has thus been directed to 
