TREAD IN LIGHT HORSES.
The hind foot, from fatigue, not being removed
soon enough, is wounded by the heel of the
fore shoe being placed upon its coronet.
TREAD UPON THE HIND FOOT
OF CART-HORSES.
The animal become unsteady from exhaustion;
the feet cross, and a wound results.
However, among cart-horses such a form of injury is more frequent; these poor animals have to drag heavy loads, at a slow pace, it is true, but to long distances; they are generally badly fed. Farmers' horses, especially during the spring and summer months, being supported upon green-meat, the watery nourishment impoverishes the blood, and the exhausting labor undermines the system. Often the load has to be taken down hill, toward the end of a tedious journey; the whole burden then rests upon the shafts, and the wretched horse which is between them rocks under the weight like a drunken man. The legs cross, till at last the calkin belonging to the shoe of one hind foot tears away a large lump of the opposite coronet. A piece of flesh is commonly left upon the ground; the hemorrhage is extreme, and the wagon is brought to a stand.
The worst case of the kind the writer ever saw occurred after the preceding fashion; and the carter—who, by-the-by, was proprietor of the sufferer—left the poor horse in a forge, giving orders that the smith was to do what he could, or to have it killed, as he pleased. The smith consulted the writer, and he treated the wound after the method recommended for open joint, or by bathing it thrice daily with the solution of chloride of zinc, one grain to the ounce of water. In a week a large slough took place; this opened the coffin-joint, and left a portion of the extensor pedis tendon hanging from the orifice. The treatment was continued; the lameness, which at first was excessive, gradually grew less; the piece of tendon sloughed out, and the wound began to heal. It had closed when the animal was fetched away by the owner; but the writer was unable afterward to learn whether false quarter ensued upon the injury. This, from the extent of the wound, the writer would conjecture to have been probable; indeed, false quarter and quittor are the general consequences of severe tread.
OVERREACH OCCURRING
DURING THE EXHAUSTION
OF LIGHT HORSES.