]{j2 manual of modern farriery. 



of the coffin-bone, not being properly in contact A very 

 trivial cause will induce the foot to contract as much as 

 it was before. It is therefore the best policy to allow a 

 contraction to remain untouched, unless the action of the 

 horse is very much impaired ; as it Avill be seen that a 

 great length of time and trouble are required to effect any 

 thing like a change on the hoof ; and, after all, it is very 

 uncertain both in its results and also in its proving an 

 effectual care. The contracted heel can very rarely be 

 expanded, for the reason that the elongated and narrowed 

 coffin-bone can never be made to resume its former shape, 

 nor can that portion of the frog be restored which has been 

 absorbed. 



Where old contractions exist, which arc accompanied 

 with a cautious step, neurotomy, or cutting out a small 

 portion of the nerve, may be had recourse to with much 

 advantage. The mode in which this is accomplished will 

 be found in the chapter treating of operations. By means 

 of this, lameness has been completely removed. The foot 

 being again allowed to rest fully upon the ground, the 

 inner side of the shoe being left free from nails, a portion 

 of the contraction is likely to be removed, from the due 

 pressure of the sole on the ground expanding the hoof. 



SAND-CRACK. 



This is a downward crack, or division of the hoof, as 

 represented on plate 6, fig. 8, a. It may, however, occur 

 either in the fore or hind feet. In the fore feet they are 

 usually found in the inner quarter, although they sometimes 

 exist in the outer quarter. The reason why the quarters 

 are most liable to this is, that the chief stress of the foot 

 is where it expands, and the inner quarter is weaker than 

 the outer. Sand-crack almost always occurs in the front of 



