STUMBLING.* 
By James McDonough, D.V.S., Montclair, N. J. 
T he horseshoer and veterinarian, when trying to stop a horse 
from stumbling, have the time of their lives trying to keep the 
one from trespassing upon the domain of the other. This is 
probably due to the fact that neither is quite sure where the duties 
of the one begins and the other ends. So I trust that the two will 
pardon me if while trying to say a few words to both I fail to 
arrange my subject in a way that is clear to either. 
As the task of overcoming the fault of stumbling required not 
alone the skill of the veterinarian, but also the practical knowl¬ 
edge of the shoer, I will not attempt to divide their responsibili¬ 
ties while allowing them to share the honor. 
While working at horseshoeing I often felt like saying to 
veterinarians what I am going to say to you now. When treat¬ 
ing a lame or stumbling horse, if you order a shoe of special de¬ 
sign, know what you want and know when you get it, then stand 
for the results; don’t shift the blame upon the shoer. 
The term “ stumbling,” as applied here, is misleading, as it 
would lead one to believe that the cause existed in the free limb, 
while as a matter of fact it will be found to exist in the fixed or 
supporting limb. We have different kinds of stumblers. Some 
horses will make what we call a “ miss step”; some will fall to 
the extent of striking one or both knees against the ground, while 
others will plunge forward, striking their nose and face, or even 
the top of their heads. While this difference in stumbling is 
merely one of degrees, it nevertheless is deserving of attention. 
When a horse stumbles, the toe of the free limb comes in contact 
with the ground at a time when it is being extended or carried 
forward as shown by the mark found upon the hoof at that point. 
* Read before the Veterinary Medical Association of New Jersey, at Jersey City, 
July, 1912 . 
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