154 THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 



It is a general notion tJiat when vision has been lost 

 to one eye the other is strengthened accordingly ; on 

 this, Mr. Percivall in his lectures observes : 



" The loss of one eye does not enfeeble sight, be- 

 cause the other acquires greater energy, though it much 

 contracts the field of vision. It is said to render the 

 conception erring, and the case of mis-judgment of 

 distances is the one commonly brought forward to show 

 this. All I can say on this point is, that the best 

 hunter I ever possessed, a horse gifted with extraordi- 

 nary powers for leaping, was a one-eyed horse, and this 

 animal carried me through a hunting season without, 

 to my recollection, making one single blunder in 

 leaping." 



CONTRACTION OF THE FOOT, 



Is a disease very general among horses, and more par- 

 ticularly contraction of the heel, when lameness almost 

 invariably is the consequence ; and if it has existed 

 for any considerable time, a perfect cure cannot be 

 wrought. It always comes on gradually, and therefore 

 should be checked in the very commencement. 



Causes. — ^There are many circumstances which ac 

 celerate this disease. Among the primary ones, we 

 must attribute it to the strength and thickness of the 

 wall of the hoof. Want of moisture — bad shoeing — 

 internal disease, and consequent alteration of the 

 structure of the foot, will produce contraction. Neglect 

 of paring the sole and lowering the heels ^ are especial 

 causes. 



