CONTRACTION. 161 



Both heels are sometimes contracted, at other times the 

 inner one only. While both are affected, the inner one is 

 generally wired in, in most instances, but chiefly at the 

 coronet, at other times near to the sole of the foot ; but 

 most fre [uently the contracted part is situated intermedi- 

 ately between the coronet and sole. But in whatever por- 

 tion of the foot the contraction exists, it will be indicated 

 by that part being much warmer than the rest, and by an 

 unusual degree of concavity in the sole • sometimes to a very 

 great extent. 



Kemedies. — Many have been the inventions to prevent 

 and retard the progress of contraction ; few, however, of 

 these have had more than an ephemeral existence. The 

 medical remedies of this complaint should not be entrusted 

 to any but a regular veterinary surgeon ; because the chief 

 thing to be done is to remove the inflammation which may 

 exist, and this is best effected by local bleeding and doses 

 of physic. The sole should be pared as much as it will 

 bear ; the quarters should then be deeply rasped, taking 

 care not to penetrate so deep as the coronary ring, (plate 6, 

 f^g. 9, (?.) The toe ought next to be rasped, and it should 

 likewise be scored. Wet clay ought to be so placed in the 

 stall that the horse will stand in it all day, and at night a 

 plentiful supply of wet cloths should be tied round the 

 foot ; or he may be put out to wet pasturage and his feet 

 frequently pared and rasped, as above recommended. It 

 will require a run of five or six months before the horn will 

 have grown fully down. He may then be shod, but without 

 nails in the inner side of the shoe. The foot will have 

 enlarged considerably. He may now be gently worked. It 

 will be found, however, that where expansion has taken 

 place forward on the quarters, that the crust will not have 

 its natural adhesion with the elongated and narrowed heels 



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