82 DISEASES OF THE FEET, ETC. 



other front one. In about a month the hoof will have 

 grown down from the hair at least one inch ; now your smith 

 should put a very delicate flat nail just at the top of the 

 crack for support, and if you wish now he can be used 

 moderately without injury ; true, if you do not wish to 

 use him, it would be better not to do so for two months ; 

 in about six months it will have grown entirely out and 

 he will be as sound as ever. 



6th. Contraction of Front Feet. A growing inwards 

 of the back part of the foot and reduction of action of the 

 frog ; it is a great source of lameness and very often in- 

 curable in old horses, but very easily produced, as has 

 been truly observed. Daily exercise is almost essential to 

 the health of the foot ; you seldom see or hear of a horse 

 that is regularly used every day becoming contracted, un- 

 less he is shamefully shod. This disease arises from a com- 

 bination of circumstances : standing on plank floors, high 

 feed, little use, and bad shoeing, or the latter alone, with 

 some horses, will produce contraction. As many are, from 

 the natural conformation, more prone to it, I have cured 

 a number by simply taking off their shoes ; this only occurs 

 to the front feet, so I write only of them. Rasping the 

 quarters down so as to weaken them, and cause a little 

 healthy action of the part, and at the 

 same time increase the action of the 

 frog, put on tips (a miniature shoe, 

 very light, for the toe, the lighter the 

 better), running back but a couple of 

 inches each side ; this is merely to 

 prevent the hoof from splitting and 

 enable his owner to use him whilst 

 he is being cured, but when in the 

 stable his feet must be stuffed all the time with fresh cow- 

 droppings. All grain should be taken from him, and his 



SMALL FROG. 



