COITTEACTION.] 



THE HOESE, AND 



[CONTEACTIOK. 



fited than many others, most of them being 

 generally turned out, and therefore less sub- 

 ject to this disease ; though, certainly, the 

 cutting away of the frogs and bars more than 

 is necessary, is the principal cause of con- 

 traction in them. Long standing in the stable 

 will frequently produce it, more especially if 

 one foot happens to be lame, which will fre- 

 quently become contracted from the want of 

 the necessary and natural weight to preserve 

 it in a state of expansion. 



The symptoms of contraction of the foot, 

 and navicular disease, are seen in the hoof 

 becoming lengthened ; and the frog, instead of 

 having that fullness seen in the natural frog, 

 appears squeezed between the heels, and is 

 not unfrequently ruptured. The feet of all 

 horses do not in contraction become lengthened ; 

 but where the heels are very weak, the inside 

 lieel may be observed, on standing immediately 

 behind the animal, to turn-in remarkably 

 sharp. When this is the case, horsemen term 

 it being toired in. Sometimes the contraction 

 is principally perceptible round the coronet ; 

 but this arises when the disease is subsequent 

 to inflammation of the feet, and the usual 

 secretion at the coronet goes on, but an un- 

 healthy secretion becomes set up. This, how- 

 ever, is not a common case, as contraction 

 generally begins below. 



The hind feet are seldom or ever very liable 

 to contraction ; and when that does take place, 

 it is not attended with those serious conse- 

 quences which result when the disease attacks 

 the fore feet, little attention being required to 

 restore them. 



The horses of dealers are very liable to con- 

 traction, from being removed from the cooling 

 pasture of the farmer, and then travelling, 

 perhaps, from a hundred to a hundred and 

 fifty miles, to be immediately placed in a hot 

 stable. These animals, if their feet are not 

 kept moist, are sure to go lame in tlie course 

 of a week's time. Contracted hoofs are almost 

 always produced by the causes already detailed; 

 and the general concavity of the sole, with the 

 thickness of its substance, greatly adds to the 

 pain usually felt in progression. From the 

 pain the horse is in during his standing iu the 

 stable, he sometimes puts one leg before the 

 other, the most painful one being generally 

 pointed under the manger. This, by horse- 

 310 



men, is termed ^^ pointing, ov fencing,'^ and is a 

 certain sign of the disease. Such an animal, 

 when going on the road, is always inclined to 

 canter; for, if in a walk, or trot, where one 

 fore leg is iu the air at a time, it is ten to one 

 but the weight of his rider brings him down. 

 Whenever, therefore, this is observed, however 

 free from lameness he may appear, such feet 

 are diseased ; and frequently, on close inspec- 

 tion in these cases, a shortened step may bo 

 detected, and a sudden drop of the knee, or 

 fetlock joint, termed ^^ going feelingly^'' as 

 though he were passing over hot bricks ; for 

 such horses seldom or ever step true, but 

 always trip, or stumble. 



Nor can we wonder that lameness should be 

 the consequence of contraction, when we con- 

 sider how exquisitely sensitive are the inter- 

 nal parts of the foot, and how completely they 

 fill up the cavity, which, being lessened, must 

 subject the otlier parts to pressure, between 

 the hard substances of the coffin-bone, the 

 walls, and sole. Inflammation frequently goes 

 on to that extent, that a deposit of coagulable 

 lymph takes place between the laminae, and 

 sometimes over the sensitive sole, which, in a 

 great measure, destroys its natural sensibility. 

 This is called, by the old farriers, " numbness''' 

 of the foot ; but this is not the end of the 

 matter, for the inflammation will extend 

 to the bones and cartilages ; and while the 

 former throw out bony matter, the latter will 

 become absorbed, and bone be deposited to 

 supply their place. This necessarily produces 

 great lameness and pain to the poor animal. 



In treating for this disease, we must observe 

 that feet are of such variety, that a general 

 prescription would not be of much use ; but, as 

 we have said that contraction may arise from 

 extei'nal as well as internal causes, iu many 

 cases palliatives only can be administered. 

 Fortunately, however, where internal derange- 

 ment has not taken place, although the pres- 

 sure may be great, and considerable lameness 

 ensue, still the ill effects are not of a lasting 

 nature ; for by enlarging the hoofs, the pres- 

 sure may be removed, and the pain mitigated 

 or entirely taken away. No means, of course, 

 would be equal to a perfect cure ; and conse- 

 quently it would not be wise to recommend 

 a tedious and expensive process, when a pal- 

 liative mode ought to be adopted ; but in the 



