CONTRACTION. 159 



breadth. So that horses may have their feet considerably 

 contracted without being at all unsound. From this, how- 

 ever, we would not have the purchaser hastily to jump 

 at the conclusion that a horse with feet such as we have 

 just described is positively sound ; on the contrary, we 

 would recommend him carefully to examine such a horse 

 scrupulously, but if he finds his action good, and his other 

 points as he would wish them, then w^e would not recom- 

 mend him to reject the animal. 



The species of contraction which occasions permanent 

 lameness, generally proceeds from another cause, and is not 

 only sudden in its attack, but also extreme in its nature. 

 This is inflammation of the small plates which cover the 

 coffin-bone. This inflammation is not so violent as in 

 acute founder, but it speedily assumes a serious character, 

 and terminates in distressing results ; and thus we find that 

 it proceeds from causes which were concealed from our view, 

 and too frequently unsuspected. 



We have already said that contraction is rare in agricul- 

 tural horses, but it is of frequent occurrence in the stud of 

 a gentleman or coach-proprietor. In both these latter 

 situations much more attention is paid to shoeing, not 

 only in the construction, but also to the frequency of 

 change. This would appear an anomaly, and contrary to 

 the theory which we have advocated. However, this may 

 be accounted for by the circumstance that blood-horses are 

 extremely liable to contraction, induced no doubt by the 

 smallness of their feet and the original narrowness of their 

 heels. In horses equally high bred it has been observed 

 that proneness to contraction depends much upon colour, 

 as the dark chestnut horses are, above all others, liable to 

 be thus aficcted ; while in the broad, flat-hoofed cart-horse, 

 contraction seldom occurs. 



