Diseases of Horses’ Feet.

Opunake Times, Volume VI, Issue 244, 8 January 1897, Page 3

Diseases of Horses’ Feet.

(From the Field.)

There is no subject more important pertaining to the horse than the treatment of the feet. Two-thirds of the lameness, especially in draught horses, arise from either disease of the feet or their mismanagement in shoeing. Although the foot has a somewhat complex construction, the horny case and the frog are the parts that need attention and consideration in shoeing. The great object should be to keep intact as much as possible the natural confirmation of the organ, and not fit the foot to the shoe but the shoe to the foot, The shoe naturally requires modifying according to the nature of the work expected and the class of roads traversed. Calkins are only necessary on draught horses and those working on uneven roads and required for slow work ; iu other circumstances a flat shoe is desirable. There can be no doubt that the sole is intended to take its share of pressure, and the continual paring away of it must court bruising of the structures immediately beneath it; and, again, the frog, where it is possible, should touch the ground ; being of an elastic nature, it exists to minimise jar and to avoid slipping, and should not be cut as it so often is. If nature had no use for it, it would not exist. Side Bones.—Heavy horses are mostly the subjects, and their position generally the fore feet, although they do occur on the bind feet. Side bones are ossification of the lateral ligaments, situate at the wings of the pedal bone ; these cartilages are of an elastic nature, and help the internal structures of the foot to regain their normal position after they have been pressed upwards and slightly outwards by the weight. The process of ossification is often slow, gradually extending until the whole cartilage is involved, and even when this is complete lameness is not always present. There can be no doubt that high calkins are productive of side bones, especially when there is a predisposition to them. The reason of this can be readily seen. When the foot comes to the ground the jar is transmitted direct to the cartilages, and again, the frog being raised, does not take its normal proportion of the jar as intended by nature. To detect side bones the thumb or linger should be pressed upon the cartilage. If it is normal cartilage it will give under the pressure; if ossification has taken place it will be hard and unyielding. All the cartilages may not be involved ; portions only may be ossified. This will be readily detected by manipulation. The movements of a horse the subject of side bones are short, and the toe touches the ground first. This is to relieve the pressure from the posterior part of the foot. If side bones have attention in their early stages the progress of ossification may be checked. A sharp blister twice repeated is often successful rouud the coronets. If this fails nothing is left but to fire the animal or perform neurotomy (removing portion of the nerve) but the latter should not be resorted to until a good trial of other remedies has failed. Firing the animal lightly is of little good. This is often done to avoid unsightly blemish, but in its place the animal is lame.