116 DISEASES OF THE HORSE'S FOOT 



to such an extent as to grow over the sole and the bars. 

 By the pressure they exert on the sole corns result, and the 

 animal is lamed. 



Causes. — In the main this defect is hereditary It is 

 seen commonly in connection with flat-foot, and where the 

 horn of the wall is thin and shelly. 



Treatment. — In the case of weak or ' turned in' heels 

 no suitable bearing is offered for the shoe in the posterior 

 half of the foot. Any attempt to induce the heels to bear 

 weight is immediately followed by their bending in. It 

 follows from this that the best shoe to be used here is one 

 in which the bearing is confined to the anterior half of 

 the wall, the heels being relieved by being sufficiently pared. 

 As might be expected, this bearing on the anterior half 

 only of the foot is insufficient; pressure must be given the 

 frog. This latter end is best gained by a bar shoe (Fig. 

 68)- With it the anterior portions of the wall, the whole of 

 the bars, and the whole of the frog may be in contact, and 

 the heels only so pared as to take no bearing at all. A few 

 such shoeings sees the defect remedied. In every instance 

 paring of the sole should be discouraged, as it serves but to 

 increase the deformity. 



B. CONTRACTED FOOT. 

 (a) General Contraction — Contracted Heels. 



Definition. — By the term contracted foot, otherwise 

 known as hoof-bound, is indicated a condition in which the 

 foot, more especially the posterior half of it, is, or becomes, 

 narrower from side to side than is normal. 



It must be borne in mind, however, that certain breeds 

 of horses have normally a foot which nearer approaches 

 the oval than the circular in form, and that a narrow foot 

 is not necessarily a contracted foot. 



The contraction may be bilateral when affecting both 

 heels of the same foot and extending to the quarters, or 

 unilateral when the inside or outside heel only is affected. 



In some cases contraction is confined to one foot, while 



