Pin firing, also known as thermocautery,"Pinfiring proves obsolete"
''Thoroughbred Times'', Brian Nielsen and Jessica Fattal, November 21, 2006 is the treatment of an injury to a

horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 mi ...

's leg, by burning or freezing. This is supposed to induce a counter-irritation and speed and/or improve healing. This treatment is used more often on

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

s than on other performance horses. It is sometimes used in the treatment of bucked shins or splint, curb, or chronic bowed tendons. There was also the theory that it would "toughen" the leg of the horse. This treatment is prevalent in equine

veterinary Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in non-human animals. The scope of veterinary medicine is wide, covering all animal species, both ...

books published in the early 20th century; however, many present-day veterinarians and horse owners consider it barbaric and a cruel form of treatment. It is not generally taught in veterinary schools today.

References

Equine injury and lameness {{Veterinary-med-stub

See also

References