420 DISEASES OF THE HORSE’S FOOT 
by the constant pawing movements of the affected foot. If 
he has room to get up and down in comfort the animal adopts 
for long periods at a stretch the recumbent position, and is 
not upon his legs long enough to take the necessary amount 
of food to keep him going. Even when down, it is plain to 
see that the animal is not at rest. The pawing movement 
is still maintained with the foot, and every now and again 
the eyes are opened and the headed lifted to give a troubled 
look round. The appetite, too, is capricious, and in many 
cases almost entirely lost. 
In some slight degree the condition is less to be feared 
in a fore than in a hind foot—that is, so far as absolutely 
fatal results are concerned. With the condition confined 
to one fore-foot, the animal is able to get up and down with 
a moderate degree of comfort. At intervals, therefore, he 
rises to take nourishment, and as soon as his wants are 
satisfied again lies down. 
With the disease in a hind-foot matters are not taken 
so comfortably. The patient finds that with each day’s 
increasing weakness the difficulty that at first he had to 
raise himself with only one sound hind- foot becomes 
enormously increased. The consequence is that he fears 
to go down, and the standing position is maintained until 
sheer weakness overcomes him, and he goes down, not to 
rise again without assistance. 
If judiciously attended he is, of course, put in slings 
before this stage is reached; but there are instances, as 
in the case of a cart-mare heavy with foal, where the use 
of slings is most decidedly contra-indicated. 
If doubt before existed as to the nature of the case, it is 
at a later stage dispelled by the appearance, generally in 
the hollow of the heel, of a hot and painful swelling. This 
at first is hard, but later fluctuates. Finally it breaks at 
one or more spots, and there exudes from the opening 
or openings a purulent and oftentimes sanious discharge, 
which coagulates about each fistula after the manner of 
ordinary synovia. 
With the discharge of the abscess contents there is some 
