HORSESHOEING. 161 



3. Loose Wall. 



Separation of the wall from the sole in the white line is called 

 loose wall (Fig. 138, a). 



Occurrence.— Frequent on the fore-hoofs of shod and unshod 

 horses, and oftener upon the inner than upon the outer side. 

 More rare on hind hoofs. Common- bred horses with wide and 

 flat feet are predisposed to this trouble. 



We distinguish superficial and deep loose wall; only the latter 

 requires the shoer's attention, because it leads to lameness. 



Causes. — Walls which are very oblique (slanting); outward 

 bendings of the plantar border of the wall ; burning the horn 

 with hot shoes ; dryness ; neglected shoeing ; excessive softening 

 of the horn with poultices, particularly of cow-dung ; careless- 

 ness in preparing the bearing-surfaces of hoof and shoe in shoe- 

 ing ; uneven fitting of the shoe. 



Treatment. — It aims to remove the lameness and to favor 

 growth of coherent horn. In the first place the removal of the 

 exciting causes, followed by proper shortening of the wall. We 

 should apply a shoe whose bearing-surface inclines slightly dovm- 

 ward and inward, is perfectly smooth, and wide enough to cover 

 the wall, white line, and outer border of the sole ; the iron should 

 be only moderately warm. Where there is lameness we use a 

 leather sole with packing, or a bar-shoe. The loose wall should 

 be freed from shoe-pressure only when it does not extend far 

 along the white fine. When the separation is extensive the loose 

 wall should not be lowered. The crack should be filled with 

 wood-tar, crude turpentine, or soft grafting-wax. 



If a loose wall occur upon the foot of a horse while running 

 barefoot, all separated horn should be removed ; if, on account 

 of the nature of the ground, this seems to be impracticable, the 

 hoof must be shod. 



Care of the Hoof. — Regular shoeing at least every month. 



Preserving the pliancy and toughness of the horn by judicious 



moistening. 



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