The horn being lowered, take a very sharp drawing-knife, and, with one movement of the wrist, excise the granulation. Set down the foot, and leave it to bleed; the loss of blood will lower the inflammation and will benefit the internal parts. Give a little green-meat to cool the system and act upon the bowels. Then, with the constant use of the lotion, enough has been done for one day.
The following morning you may again apply the lotion, and continue to use it afterward thrice daily. Any further lowering may also be accomplished to the edges of the crack, as well as the coronal portion of the horn be separated from the lower part of the hoof, by means of lines drawn as before illustrated.
If the horse must go to work, remember, it should not be in the shafts, upon long journeys, or with a heavy load behind it. Before the animal quits the stable, lay a piece of tow saturated with the lotion within the crack, and bind that in with a wax-end; tie a strip of cloth over all; give this bandage a coating of tar; and, when the horse returns, be sure to inspect the part. Should any grit have penetrated, wash it out with the lotion, and do not begrudge a minute or two to remove that which, if allowed to remain, may cause the animal much additional anguish. Then give the suffering creature a nice, deep bed, some scalded hay, and a mash made of bruised oats, into which has been thrown a handful each of linseed and of crushed beans; moisten these last constituents with the water drawn from the scalded hay, and, if the horse should not appear hungry, throw among the hay half a handful of common salt.
A HORSE'S FOOT DRESSED
FOR TOE SANDCRACK.
Showing the way in which it should be bound up when work is imperative.
The poor man may have some excuse for working an animal with sandcrack; such a person cannot afford to keep the horse in idleness for the months which the cure will occupy. But the worst cases of this kind the author ever beheld have always been in quadrupeds belonging to wealthy tradesmen, who had ample means to gratify their desires, but wanted the heart to feel for mute affliction.
FALSE QUARTER.
False quarter is the partial absence of the outer and harder portion of the hoof; the consequence is, that the sensitive laminæ, in the seat of the false quarter, are only protected by their own soft or spongy horn. This is frequently insufficient to save the foot from severe accident; it is apt to crack, being strained by the motion of the hoof. The fleshy parts are then exposed; bleeding ensues, and fungoid granulations sometimes spring up; these are often pinched by the two sides of the divided horn, between which they protrude. When such occurs, the treatment should be the same as that recommended for sandcrack.
