410 CONTRACTION. 



lies the better he works. Lame or tender-footed horses cannot he 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 contrac- 

 tion. 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, tlmish never long existed, accompanied 

 by much discharge, without producing a disjDOsition to contraction ; there- 

 fore, thrush may be considered as both the cause and consequence of 

 contraction. 



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

 Their use in assisting the expansion of the foot has been already stated, 

 and should a disposition to contraction be produced by any other cause, 

 the cutting aAvay of the bars would hasten and aggravate the evil ; but 

 the loss of the bar would not of itself produce contraction. 



The contraction, however, that is connected Avith permanent lameness, 

 although increased by the cu-cumstances which we have mentioned, 

 usually derives its origin from a diiferent source, and from one that acts 

 violently and suddenly. Inflammation of the little plates covering the 

 coflin-bone is a frequent cause ; and a degi^ee of inflammation not sufii- 

 ciently intense to be characterised as acute founder, but quickly leading" 

 to sad results, may and does spring from causes almost imsuspected. 

 There is one fact to which we have alluded, and that cannot be doubted, 

 that contraction is exceedingly rare in the agTicultural horse, but frequently 

 occurs in the stable of the gentleman and the coach-proprietor. It is rare 

 where the horse is seemingly neglected and badly shod ; and frequent 

 where every care is taken of the animal, and the shoes are unexceptionable 

 and skilfully applied. Sometliing may depend upon the breed. Blood 

 horses are particularly liable to contraction. ISTot only is the foot naturally 

 small, but it is disposed to become narrower at the heels. On the other 

 hand, the broad, flat foot of the cart-horse is subject to diseases enough, 

 but contraction is seldom one of the number. 



Whatever is the cause of that rapid contraction or narrowing of the 

 heels which is accompanied by severe lameness, the symptoms may be 

 easily distinguished. Wliile standing in the stable, the horse will point 

 with, or place forward, the contracted foot, or, if both feet are affected, he 

 will alternately place one before the other. AVlien he is taken out of the 

 stable, he will not, perhaps, exhibit the decided lameness which character- 

 ises sprain of the flexor tendon, or some diseases of the foot ; but his step 

 will be peculiarly short and quick, and the feet will be placed gently and 

 tenderly on the ground, or scarcely lifted from it in the walk or the trot. 

 It would seem as if the slightest irregulai-ity of surface would throw the 

 animal down, and so it threatens to do, for he is constantly tripping and 

 stumbling. If the fore-feet are carefully observed, one or both of them 

 will be narrowed across the quarters and towards the heels. In a few 

 cases the whole of the foot appears to be contracted and shrunlc ; but in 

 the majority of instances, while the heels are narrower, the foot is longer. 

 The contraction appears sometimes in both heels ; at other times in the 

 inner heel only ; or, if both are affected, the inner one is wired in the most, 

 cither from the coronet to the base of the foot, or only or principally at the 

 coronet — oftener near the base of the foot — but in most cases the 

 hollow being greatest about midway between the coronet and the bottom 

 of the foot. This irregularity of contraction, and uncertainty as to the 



