75 



Woodin, and I gladly take this opportunity of 

 acknowledging many useful hints with which he 

 has favoured me. 



I will now proceed to those marked and visible 

 defects of which any man of common understand- 

 ing may easily make himself a competent judge ; 

 at least to such an extent as may guard him from 

 gross imposition. 



If it appears that towards the heels, the semi- 

 circular line becomes suddenly straight, and the 

 sides of the foot abruptly approach each other, 

 it may be inferred that the heels are contracted. 

 In these cases the natural position of the foot is 

 partially changed ; the hoof becomes more upright, 

 the sole of the foot descends, and the horse is 

 commonly called " foundered." This is a very 

 common, and yet a serious defect ; it usually arises 

 from bad shoeing and severe work ; but I profess 

 not to explain the disease, or the extent to which it 

 admits either of cure or relief. Those who are in- 

 terested or curious in such pathology, must refer to 

 Professors Coleman or Sewell. I may add, how- 

 ever, that although a contracted foot is indicative 

 of past disease, it by no means follows that it is 

 unsoundness, or incapacitates a horse from work. 

 It is most common in high-bred horses, perhaps 

 because in proportion to the general lightness and 



