HORSES' HOOFS 33 



quarters with it, and you have contracted feet 

 or at least contracted heels. After this mischief 

 has been done through ignorance, then the horse 

 must have that curer of all ills of the foot (accord- 

 ing to some wise ones), spreaders, to overcome 

 the contraction of the hoof. 



Although horses are largely kept under arti- 

 ficial conditions, there is no reason why their 

 hoofs should become contracted if rationally 

 treated, unless some disease of the foot develops, 

 such as navicular disease. Under such circum- 

 stances, the contraction is the result of disease, 

 not the cause of it. 



Another point that should be carefully watched 

 in preparing the hoof for the reception of the 

 shoe is to have it level. If either inside or out- 

 side of the hoof is left too long, it changes the 

 direction of the line of weight and subjects some 

 portion or portions of the extremity to undue 

 strain or pressure and consequent liability to in- 

 jury. 



Horses that are turned out into soft fields or 

 put into box stalls or barnyards, where there is 

 not sufficient attrition to wear the hoof to its nor- 

 mal dimensions, should have it rasped down every 

 month to its proper proportions. This particu- 

 larly applies to young colts, and neglect of it is 

 the initial step in causing hoofs of defective for- 

 mation. 



