The man in country practice will also be well advised in carrying to every foot case a compact outfit, such as that carried by the smith.  This will consist of hammer and pincers, drawing-knife and buffer.  Much valuable time is then often saved which would otherwise be wasted in driving round for the nearest smith.

There are other special operations requiring the use of specially-devised instruments for their successful carrying out.  These we shall mention when we come to a consideration of the operations in which they are necessary.

C. THE APPLICATION OF DRESSINGS.

One of the most common methods of applying a dressing to the foot is poulticing.  Usually resorted to on account of its warmth-retaining properties, the poultice may also be medicated.  In fact, a poultice, strongly impregnated with perchloride of mercury or other powerful antiseptic, is a useful dressing in a case of a punctured foot, or a wise preliminary to an operation involving the wounding of the deeper structures.  The poultice may consist of any material that serves to retain heat for the longest time.  Meal of any kind that contains a fair percentage of oil is suitable.  Crushed linseed, linseed and bran, or linseed-cake dust are among the best.

To prepare it, all that is necessary is to partly fill a bucket with the material and pour upon it boiling water.  The hot mass is emptied into a suitable bag, at the bottom of which it is wise to first place a thin layer of straw, in order to prevent the bag wearing through, and then secured round the foot.  This is generally done by means of a piece of stout cord, or by straps and buckles fastened round the pastern and above the fetlock.

An improved method of fastening has been devised by Lieutenant-Colonel Nunn: 

’A thin rope or stout piece of cord about 5 feet long is doubled in two, and a knot tied at the double end so as to form a loop about 5 or 6 inches long, this length depending on the size of the foot (as at A, Fig. 48).  The poultice or other dressing is applied to the foot, and the cloth wrapped round in the ordinary way, the loop of the cord being placed at the back of the pastern (as in A, Fig. 49); the ends of the cord are passed round, one on the inside and the other on the outside, towards the front (as in B, Fig. 49).  These ends are then twined together down as far as the toe (see C in Fig. 49).  The foot is now lifted up, and the ends of the cord (CC, Fig. 49), are passed through the loop A (as at D, Fig. 49), and then drawn tight.  The ends of the cord are now separated, and carried up to the coronet (as at EE, Fig. 49), one on the outside, the other on the inside of the foot.  They are then again twisted round each other once or twice (as at F, Fig. 50), and are passed round the pastern once or twice on each side.  They are now passed under the cord (E, Fig. 49), and then reversed, so as to tighten up E, and are finally tied round the pastern in the usual manner.  The arrangement of the cords on the sole is shown in Fig. 51, which is a view from the posterior part.