FAULTY CONFORMATION 119 



Up to now we have described the changes of form in the 

 hoof as seen when the contracted foot is viewed from tha 

 solar surface. With those changes as evident as we have 

 depicted them, there will be no difficulty in detecting the 

 alterations in the form of the wall. 



In addition to a narrowing from side to side there will be 

 noticed an abnormal straightness of the quarters, with a 

 turning in, more or less sudden, of the heels. This effect 

 is given in these cases by the smith maintaining the shoe 

 of a length and width that should normally fit a foot of 

 that particular animal's size and substance. This is prob- 

 ably done with the idea of deceiving anyone examining the 

 solar surface. Viewed from this position, the width of the 

 shoe at the heels gives the impression that it is attached to 

 a foot of normal breadth. This deception is heightened if 

 at the same time has been practised the process of ' open- 

 ing up the heels.' That expression indicates that the bars 

 have been removed, and the lateral lacunae of the frog- 

 made to continue the concavity of the sole. The arch of 

 the latter is thus made to appear of much greater extent 

 than it really is, and the heels, by reason of their being 

 abruptly cut off when removing the bars, also convey the 

 false impression of being wide apart. 



The practitioner unversed in the tricks of the forge will 

 test guard against this by viewing the foot, while on the 

 ground, from behind- From that position he will be able 

 to detect the lowness of the quarters, and the projecting 

 portion of the shoe, that the hoof, by reason of its sudden 

 bending inwards, does not touch. 



The ' feeling ' manner of the gait before alluded to, 

 together with the disinclination to put the foot firmly and 

 squarely forward, will sometimes lead the examiner to over- 

 look the contraction, and diagnose his case as one of 

 shoulder lameness. In many cases, too, such consequent 

 conditions as ' thrushy frogs ' and ' suppurating corns ' are 

 often treated with utter disregard of the contraction that 

 has really brought them about. But above all, the disease 

 most likely to be confounded with simple contraction is 



