386 CONTRACTION. 



colt has seldom contracted feet, nor does the horse at grass acquire them, 

 because the hoof is kept cool and damp by occasional rain, and by the regular 

 dew. It is thus rendered supple, and its elasticity is preserved, and the expan- 

 sive power of the foot is uninjured. The hoof of the stabled horse sometimes 

 has not one drop of moisture on it for several days. The effect of this, in the 

 contraction of the horn, is sufficiently evident. Hence the propriety of stopping 

 the feet where there is the least tendency to contraction. The intelligent 

 and careful groom will not omit it a single night. Cow-dung, with a small 

 portion of clay to give it consistence, is a common and very good stopping. 

 A better one is a piece of thick felt cut to the shape of the sole and soaked 

 in water. The common stopping of tar and grease is peculiarly objection- 

 able, for it closes the pores of the feet, and ultimately increases the dryness 

 and brittleness which it was designed to remedy. 



The usual management of the farmer's horse that is often turned out after 

 his daily task is exacted, or whose work is generally performed where the feet 

 are exposed to moisture, is an excellent preventive against contraction. 



Some persons have complained much of the influence of litter. If the horse 

 stands many hours in the day with his feet imbedded in straw, it is supposed 

 that the hoof mast be unnaturally heated ; and it is said that the horn will con- 

 tract under the influence of heat. It is seldom, however, that the foot is so 

 surrounded by the litter that its heat will be sufficiently increased to produce 

 this effect. It will be difficult to produce the case in which contraction, or 

 thrush, or tenderness, have been produced by the horse standing on dry litter. 

 There are thousands of horses that stand upon straw twenty hours out of the 

 twenty-four, without receiving the slightest injury from it. The author of 

 this work is not one of those who would, during the day, remove all litter 

 from under the horse. It gives a naked and uncomfortable appearance to the 

 stable. There is a considerable difference in our own feelings whether we stand 

 for an hour or two on the hard stones, or a soft carpet, and especially whether 

 we beat our feet upon the one or the other. Humanity and a proper care of 

 the foot of the horse should induce the owner to keep some litter under the 

 animal during the day ; but his feet need not sink so deeply in it that their 

 temperature becomes much affected. If the straw is suffered to remain until 

 it is wet, hot, and rotten, the effluvia proceeding from it may produce cough, or 

 inflammation of the eyes, or thrushes in the feet ; but a light bed of straw, with 

 tolerable attention to cleanliness, can never do harm. " There are horses," 

 says Professor Stewart, " that, in the habit of pawing and stamping slip about 

 and sometimes lame themselves on the bare stones ; many disposed to lie down 

 during the day, will not, or ought not, to do it, with a slight portion of litter 

 under them. It is a frequent observation with regard to road horses, and many 

 others, that the more a horse lies the better he works. Lame or tender-footed 

 horses cannot lie too much, and a great deal of standing ruins the best legs and 

 feet. Some horses, indeed, do not need this day-bedding, but many are the 

 better for it, and none are the worse."* 



Thrushes are much oftener the consequence than the cause of contraction. 

 The horny frog, yielding to the pressure of the contracted quarters, is diminished 

 in size, and the lower portion of the fleshy frog becomes imprisoned, irritated, 

 and inflamed, and pus or matter is discharged at the cleft ; yet there are many 

 heels in the last stage of contraction that are not thrushy. On the other 

 hand, thrush never long existed, accompanied by much discharge, without pro- 

 ducing a disposition to contraction ; therefore, thrush may be considered as both 

 the cause and consequence of contraction. 



The removal of the bars takes away a main impediment to contraction. 



* Stewart's Stable Economy, p. 139. 



