378 DISEASES OF THE HORSE’S FOOT 
When the incisions through the wall are complete, our 
attention must be given to the sole. A drawing-knife is 
here used, and a further incision made over the white line 
so as to destroy the union of the sole with the wall between 
incisions 1 and 2, and so completely isolate the portions 
of wall included within the four grooves (see groove 4, 
Fig. 149). When this is done it should {be found that the 
portions of the isolated wall spring readily to pressure of 
the thumb. 
The inferior or wearing margin of the isolated wall must 
now be so trimmed that it takes no bearing on the ground 
when the opposite limb is held up by an assistant and full 
weight placed upon the foot. 
For a day or two after the operation lameness is intense. 
This is to be treated with hot poultices or hot baths, and 
and soon disappears. Three to four days later a bar shoe 
is nailed on (taking care that the bearing of the quarters is 
still eased), and the hot poultices still continued. Four 
days later still walking exercise may be commenced, to be 
followed shortly afterwards by trotting. At about the 
twelfth day some animals may conveniently be put to work, 
while in other cases a fortnight, or even a month, must 
elapse before this can be done. When put to work early, it 
is wise to fill in the fissures made in the wall with hard 
soap, with wax, or with a suitable hoof dressing, in order 
that irritation of the sensitive structures with outside matter 
may be prevented. 
This' operation is soon followed by remarkable changes in 
the shape of the foot. At about the third week the coronet 
shows signs of bulging, and the upper part of the wall 
operated on is often so protruding as to render the foot 
wider here than at the ground surface. This is a sign that 
the case is doing well. 
Should no improvement be noticed at the end of three 
weeks or a month, or should the grooves become filled from 
the bottom (which they do remarkably fast), then the 
incisions must be deepened, the exercise reduced, and the 
fomentations or poulticing repeated. So treated, many 
