398° DISEASES OF THE HORSE. i 
is soft, moist, and elastic to a remarkable degree. It is the function 
of the frog to destroy shock and to prevent slipping. 
The sensitive lamin are thin plates of soft tissue covering the en- 
tire anterior surface of the coffin bone. They are present in great 
numbers, and by fitting into corresponding grooves on the inner sur- 
face of the horn of the wall the union of the soft and horny tissues is 
made complete. (Plate XXXII, fig. 1.) 
The plantar cushion is a thick pad of fibrous tissue placed behind 
and under the navicular and coffin bones and resting on the sole and 
frog, for the purpose of receiving the downward pressure of the col- 
umn of bones and to destroy shock. (Plate XX XII, fig. 4.) 
The lateral cartilages are attached, one on each side, to the wings 
of the coffin bone by their inferior borders. They are thin plates of 
fibro-cartilage, and their function is to assist the frog and adjacent 
structures to regain their proper position after having been displaced 
by the weight of the body while the foot rested on the ground. (Plate 
XXXII, fig. 2.) 
‘ FAULTS OF CONFORMATION. 
A large percentage of horses have feet which are not perfect in 
conformation, and as a consequence they are especially predisposed to 
certain injuries and diseases. 
Flatfoot is that condition in which the sole has little or no con- 
vexity. It is a peculiarity common to some breeds, especially heavy, 
lymphatic animals raised on low, marshy soils. It is confined to the 
fore feet, which are generally broad, low-heeled, and with a wall less 
upright than is seen in the perfect foot. 
In flatfoot there can be little or no elasticity in the sole, for the 
reason that it has no arch, and the weight of the animal is received on 
the entire plantar surface, as it rests upon the ground instead of on 
the wall. For these reasons such feet are particularly liable to bruises _ 
of the sole, corns, pumiced sole, and excessive suppuration when the 
process is once established. Horses with flatfoot should be shod with a 
shoe having a wide web, pressing on the wall only, while the heels and 
frog are never to be pared. Flatfoot generally has weak walls, and as 
a consequence the nails of the shoe are readily loosened and the shoe 
cast. 
Clubfoot is a term applied to such feet as have the walls set nearly 
perpendicular. When this condition is present the heels are high, the 
fetlock joint is thrown forward, or knuckles, and the weight of the 
animal is received on the toes. Many mules are clubfooted, especially 
behind, where it seems to cause little or no inconvenience. Severe 
cases of clubfoot may be cured by cutting the tendons, but as a rule 
special shoeing is the only measure of relief that can be adopted: The 
toe should not be pared, but the heels are to be lowered as much as 
