26Q CONTRACTION. 



where it stands for many hours, during which in a 

 state of nature it would be walking about in search of 

 food, or playing with its companions. The foot is 

 thrown out of use, and of course it dwindles ; and, 

 to make the consequences of inactivity more certain, 

 the nails of the shoe render the crust unyielding, and 

 cause the hoof to press upon the sensitive parts. Then 

 the horse is suddenly saddled, and put to his pace 

 with a load upon his back. The feet have to move 

 rapidly over hard roads, and have to do this in tight 

 shoes. Lameness often is the consequence ; but the 

 effect does not always mount to this height. Irritation, 

 however, may be induced. The sensitive and secret- 

 ing parts of the foot become irritable ; and they pour 

 forth more of that substance which it is their function 

 to produce. The horny box is therefore thicker than 

 it would be if the feet were healthy; and the ad- 

 ditional thickness of the hoof renders it less yielding. 

 In its turn the horn presses upon the parts within, 

 and aggravates their irritability. Pressure is one of 

 the most certain causes of loss of substance ; and the 

 foot, constantly confined and squeezed, becomes 

 necessarily smaller. Thus, though contraction can- 

 not take place without more or less disease of the 

 internal parts ; contraction, however, being once esta- 

 blished, causes the foot to become yet smaller, or fur- 

 ther diseased. 



The foot of the domesticated horse requires constant 

 attention ; and we must here quote some excellent 

 remarks contained in the work entitled " The Horse." 

 " There is no rule which admits of so little exception 

 as that which declares once in about every three weeks 



