AND HIS DISEASES. 51 



pressing too much on the heel; either by being improperly 

 applied, or by being allowed to remain too long on, wearing 

 down, and turning the crust over, enclosing sand or gravel ; 

 and from this continued pressure we have effusion of serum 

 and discoloration ' of the horn. In bad cases, the horn be- 

 comes laminated, and produces constant uneasiness, and, of 

 course, lameness. 



Symptoms. — The animal in standing raises the heel, and 

 in walking throws the weight on the toe and outer quarter,' 

 bringing the limb as much under him as possible. On tap- 

 ping the foot with a hammer, pain is evinced at the inner heel. 

 On removing the shoe, and pairing the ailgle of the heel, the 

 discoloured horn is seen, and sometimes matter will be found. 



Treatment. — ^In slight cases, all that may be required is, to 

 pare the seat of the corn well down and lower the heel, so as 

 to remove the pressure; and by carefully shoeing for a 

 few times, it will disappear. 



In bad and long-standing cases, however, it is more 

 diflScult of removal. After thoroughly cutting out the corn, 

 it may be necessary to poultice for a time ; and if matter 

 forms, to give free vent to it, a bar-shoe * is advisable, or a 

 three-quarter bar, by which the pressure can be kept off the 

 heel. It must be frequently pared out, and filled with hot 

 tar and tow. Sometimes a run at pasture is beneficial. 



* Horse-shoers in the country, as a general thing, have very erroneous 

 views about the application of the bar-shoe. From some mistaken idea, 

 that the frog cannot bear pressure without injury, they, instead of allow- 

 ing the bar to rest on the frog, (as is the intention of it,) carefully arch the 

 bar so as to clear the frog, thereby, instead of relieving and distributing 

 the bearing, they increase the pressure on the heels. In a bar-shoe, 

 properly applied, the weight removed from the injured heel is sustained 

 by the frog, thus equalising the pressure, and relieving the heels. In 

 " springing the heels " with the plain shoe, the shoe must be level through- 

 out, and the heel sprung by lowering the crtist at the heel. • 



