Where lameness is not great as in cases wherein no marked structural change of the foot has occurred, proper shoeing is very beneficial. By keeping the heels as low as possible and shoeing without heel calks a more comfortable position is made possible. Thin rubber pads which do not elevate the heel are of service in diminishing concussion.
Dr. David W. Cochran of New York City has attained unusual success in cases of chronic laminitis with dropped sole by the use of a specially designed shoe.
Fig. 36—Superior surface, showing concavity or bowl, as formed by the toe and branches of the shoe, as designed by Dr. David W. Cochran.
Cochran claims that, not only are horses with dropped soles that would otherwise have to be put off the streets enabled to do a fair amount of work by means of this shoe, but that continually wearing it, meanwhile keeping the convexity of the front of the hoof rasped thin, in time brings about a marked improvement, and that after some months or years of use the animals are able to work with ordinary rubber-pad shoes, provided they are arranged to facilitate breaking over.
From having been successfully used on some race horses of high value, the Cochran shoe has attained considerable notoriety and is being used by a number of practitioners. A disadvantage, however, arises from the fact that few horseshoers other than Doctor Cochran seem able to make the shoe, the peculiar shape of which offers considerable difficulty in forging. Concerning the application of the shoe Cochran[32] says:
"The most important primary procedure is the preparation of the foot to receive the shoe. All excess of growth must be removed from the anterior face of the hoof. The outer face must be reduced at the toe (not shortened), but rasped down thin for the lighter the top of the foot is, the more chance the sole and coffin bone will have of resuming their former normal position. The pressure of the wall at the toe upon the exudate between wall and coffin bone, tends to force the coffin bone and sole out of their normal position. Leave the sole alone. You can lower the excess of growth at the heels.