Chapter 59 Summary

Herriot comes across a band of gypsies who have a piebald pony suffering from founder. Founder is a condition that strikes horses after they eat too much grain or as the result of a disease. When a horse has founder, the blood flow to its hooves is increased, and the temperature of the hoof rises dramatically. The small bones in the hoof rotate and can cripple a horse permanently.

Herriot asks Dr. Farnon for help, and they return to operate on the pony. Although Dr. Farnon has never tried the procedure before, he begins to bleed the pony in hopes of decreasing the flow of blood to the hooves. After this is completed, Dr. Farnon has everyone lead the pony to a nearby stream. He recommends that they keep the pony in the stream for several minutes at a time, many times a...