20 WARRANTY OF 



time, when horses were not shod, the hardest hoof was 

 considered the best and soundest, because it wore the 

 longest, although it was upright and contracted. When 

 instructing his soldiers how to choose horses, he des- 

 cribes these feet ; but at the same time shows that he 

 was aware of the evils of contraction brought on by 

 disease, as he gives directions how it may be avoided. 

 I shall here only add that extreme developments are 

 as bad as malformations produced by disease or work. 



Artificial Contraction. 



Artificial contraction, which must almost always be 

 the result of disease, let the disease arise from bad 

 management, bad shoeing, neglect, or whatever cause, 

 may bring on inflammation. The horny sole will not 

 contract upon its contents, until either in action, or in 

 the stable, the horse ceases to rest some of his weight 

 upon his heels. This resting contracts the internal foot ; 

 the heat contracts the horn to it, and alters the secre- 

 tion, so that the horn either gets thicker and stronger, 

 or so thin and tender as to become what is called a 

 shelly hoof. This shows that naturally small or narrow 

 feet are very different from artificial contraction, which 

 can be cured only at the earliest stage of the disease. 

 It may subsequently be sometimes relieved ; but rarely, 

 after an inflammation of a few weeks' standing, with- 

 out a powerful remedy being applied, will there be so 



