PROBABILITY OF PwECOVERY AFTER COXTRACTIOX. 347 



horse seldom shows contracted hoof, for he is, almost always on 

 soft ground, and his soles are, therefore, exposed to the counter- 

 pressure of the earth. Horses working in towns require this 

 moisture to be supplied artiticially, and it is sometimes necessary 

 to use flat shoes and to fill the space between the limbs of the 

 shoe with felt pads or to give a foot-bath occasionally. In 

 severe cases bar shoes promote the growth of the frog and 

 hinder contraction. 



The tiratmcnt aims at restoring the normal width of the 

 hoof, and is best commenced by the use of poultices or warm 

 baths which soften the horn. Thereafter several courses are 

 open. 



(A) Kestoration of the counter-pressure of the ground. 

 This may be regarded as the natural method of cure. Under 

 it are comprised : — 



(1) Turning horses out to grass without shoes. 



(2) The use of tips. 



(3) Of shoes with thin heels. 



(4) Of heelless shoes with leather soles. 



(5) Of bar shoes with or without leather soles. 



(6) Of pads covering the entire sole. 



(B) The use of mechanical devices, which thrust or draw 

 apart the heel, such as : — 



(7) De la Broue's slipper shoe. 



(8) Shoes with bar clips. 



(C) Operations on the hoof itself, either alone or in conjunc- 

 tion with one or another of the methods already named. 



A. Methods of Ee-establishing the Counter-Pressure of 

 THE Ground or Compensating for its Absence. 



1. Eest at grass, to be effectual, should be oontinued 

 from four to six months, at any rate not less than three, 

 and is not advisable for animals with very weak low heels. 

 As a preparation, excess of horn should be removed, the wall 

 rounded off, incurved heels, pressing on the ground, removed, 

 and the point of tlie frog (to the commencement of the 

 central groove) lowered to the same height as the bearing 

 surface of the wall ; the limbs, on the other liand, may be 

 left somewliat higher. The horse can then be turned out to 



