DISEASES OF HORSES AND CATTLE. 247 



flammation of this joint, is likely to produce navic- 

 ular disease. The most prolific cause is bad shoe- 

 ing. By degrees the inflammation in a chronic 

 form extends to other parts, causing a shrinking of 

 the soft parts, resulting in contraction of the foot. 

 Symptoms : The lameness may appear suddenly 

 and perhaps immediately after the horse has been 

 shod, and is then usually thought to be the fault of 

 nailing on the shoe. It is likely in this case that 

 the smith has pared the sole and frog too thin, and 

 that the part has suffered from a bruise by the 

 horse stepping on something hard. After a rest it 

 may disappear, to return after the next drive. 

 Sometimes the disease is of very slow prog- 

 ress in one or both fore feet. The first thing 

 that is noticed is the animal points its toe, and if 

 both are affected, first one, then the other. The an- 

 imal may not be lame, but it does not step out as 

 well as it used to, and by degrees it gets more 

 tender until it begins to go lame, and gradually 

 gets worse. There is a form of this lameness where 

 the animal shows stiffness and lameness when first 

 taken out of the stable, but after being driven for 

 a short distance it passes off, and after it stands for 

 a while it will start off lame again. If this disease 

 lasts for some time the muscles of the chest and 

 shoulders seem stiff and may shrink. This has 

 been called "chest founder" by horsemen. This is 

 brought about from the soreness of the feet. The 

 horse is afraid to step out, giving it the appearance 

 of being stiff; the muscles of the chest and shoul- 

 ders will shrink from want of proper action, caused 



