The management and treatment of the horse in the stable, field, and ...

112 The Management and Treatment of the Horse,
is produced by ponderous heavy shoes with which they
are shod, and the large nails with which they are neces-
sarily attached to the foot; these produce contraction,
which produces thrush, and thrush produces canker.
Thus neglect is the primary cause of nine-tenths of the
so-called hereditary diseases of the foot. The dirty
state of the stables and the neglect of the feet are a
fertile source of this complaint. Cleanliness and atten-
tion to the horse's feet are a preventive which is far
before all known methods of cure. When once this
disease has been induced it is extremely difficult to
cure, and it is advisable to call in the aid of the veteri-
nary surgeon. Although I have found the same treat-
ment I adopt for seedy toe to be very effectual, I will
here quote a few words from Mr Brown upon this
disease. He says, " Besides the hereditary predisposition
of work-horses to canker, in order to give them foot-
hold it becomes necessary to raise the heels of the hind
feet so much that all pressure on the frog is done away
with, which has the effect of destroying its functions,
and consequently rendering it liable to disease." This
is most erroneous, for I contend it is not necessary to
put heavy shoes on the cart horse, neither is it necessary
to put on large caulk ings to give him a foot-hold ; the
animal has a far better foot-hold if shod plain with his
frog on the ground, to allow that natural wedge to take
the place that nature evidently intended it for, i.e., the
expansion of the toot, and to prevent the horse slipping.
The American farmer does not have his horses shod
upon the absurd principle of high caulkings as we find
them in this country, yet their horses have as heavy