r.g 



together, and new ones will form in process of time ; 

 but these are in general too imperfect to make the 

 horse of much value. 



It is evident that the complaint above alluded to is 

 acute founder : but there is a more common kmd, 

 which is chronic or slow founder, and which is gene- 

 rally known by a name arising from its common ap- 

 pearance, — Contracted Feet. - 



Contracted Feet may be the cause, or may 

 be the consequence, of founder. Contraction in the 

 feet is frequently brought on by external causes, in 

 which case the pressing in of the horn on the sensible 

 parts of the feet inflames them, and brings on all the 

 evils attendant on founder. For, to understand this 

 matter, it should be considered that the foot is a box. 

 exactly filled up with a bone of the precise shape of 

 the hoof, not quite so large, but very nearly so, 

 the intermediate spaces being filled up with blood 

 vessels and nerves wedged in as full as possible : now, 

 if the hoof contracts, it must pinch those most sen- 

 sible parts against the foot bone, and hence bring on 

 inflammation, intense pain, and tenderness. Heat ac- 

 companies the inflammation; and this still further 

 tends to contract the foot. . The causes bringing on 

 this contraction from external means are various; 

 bad shoeing, sufltering the feet to grow too long from 

 neglect in not being sufficiently often shod, or, when 

 they are, from not being sufficiently pared : but the 

 most usual cause is the standing on hot litler during 

 the day, perhaps for weeks together, with half an 

 hour's exercise only during twenty-four hours. When 

 contracted feet are the consequence of an internal 

 disposition to founder, the case is more desperate, as 



