The San Francisco call., 1896-05-03

In this position the tendons are stretched,
the ankles rendered tender and weak; even
the skin is sometimes stretched and made
oversensitive. Careless cleaning some
times at the hands of the careless driver
and or hurried and careless grooms adds
to the evil. The ankles are left in fever
lsh condition, the oily matter that lubri-
Gates the heel becomes scantv, the heels
get dry and sensitive; finally the skin
cracks, and We have an advanced case of
grease" or Cracked heels" very COM
mon i'll among San Francisco horses, par
ticularly in wet weather, and one which is
really never the result of anything besides
carelessness and neglect.
A horse, to be kept healthy, should al
ways be kept clean, but nowhere should
in the care of his feet and ankles. Yet the
latter, in particular, are points more fire.
Quently neglected than almost any other
When, as in the case OF most of our
heavy drafthorses, the animals have
thick, long fetlocks extending well up the
leg, 1t is OF imperative importance that
this hair should be kept scrupulously
clean. For this purpose it should be re-
ligiously brushed at least once day, but
unless 1t is afterward thoroughly dried it
should never be wet. This is truth
known presumably to every groom, yet in
many livery stable l have seen these
horses brought in on q muddy day. their
stream and the animals then sent with
dripping fetlocks to their stalls. There,
well Uttered down, they are left until
morning. Their ankles get very warm i'll
the thick bedding, and the process of
steaming is inevitable and effectual. Under
SUCH treatment there is small wonder that
the pasterns become sore and the horse
goes lame.
1t is not a difficult matter to dry a
horses feet. A little rubbing after wetting
with clean, dry straw, and afterward with
bit OF sacklng is enough, although, If the
fetlocks are kept trimmed, as is usually
the case with light driving animals. band
aging for short time is almost necessary.
The practice of clipping the fetlocks pre-
d1sposes to cracked heels, as the Dasterns
are then more exposed to wet and the ac-
cumulation OF dirt, but long fetlock is
an ungainly looking decoration for the
ankles of a carriage horse. When the
ankles are dry they can easily be cleaned
with brush, and in muddy weather it is
always best to let the fetlocks drv and
then brush them, but under no circnm
stances should the brushing be neglected
1t IS also well in wet weather to keen the
pasterns anointed with vaseline or zinc
ointment.
Dirty stalls and foul litter are nroIif;c
sources OF grease which, it is we'll to note
are lar more apt to occur in the hind than
IN the fore feet. One of the first indics-
tlons OF the trouble is slight scuryiness
OF the skin. 1t scales off and shows ON
the hair like dandruff. This appeara nee
always calls for an investigation of the
heels. The best treatment is to clip the
halr, Apply hot lamentations and bathe
with caiendula lotion or, better vet. annIv
calendulated vaseline, which any druggist
Will prepare for you. l have found no
remedy, not even zinc ointment SO effect.
I've as calendula in cases of dry CRACKING
and OF suppurative wounds in horses. I5
the latter the lotion should be used. If
there is good deal of Inflammation it is
~ei 10 give the tincture of aconite inter-