NAVICULAR DISEASE. 411 



ness; but, in consequence of its affecting both feet, it is not so 

 marked to the careless observer as in some much more trivial cases 

 where ouly one is diseased. The distinguishing sign, though not 

 absolutely infallible, is the pointing of the toe, and a peculiar 

 rounding forward of the fetlock joint, so as to relieve the navicular 

 bone of any weight. In laminitis, the object of the sufferer is to 

 relieve all pressure as much as possible, by bringing the hind legs 

 under the body, and by bearing the weight of the fore quarter on 

 the heels. Here, the reverse of the latter attitude is observed — 

 the heels are not allowed to take any pressure, and the toes alone 

 are placed at all firmly on the ground. This is marked in the 

 stable by the pointing of the toe (in each foot alternately, if both 

 are diseased, but in the one only, if they are not both affected). 

 Out of doors, the toes dig into the ground, the heel never being 

 brought firmly down, and frequent stumbles mark the difference 

 between this species of lameness and laminitis. The subject of 

 navicular disease generally walks sound; but the moment he is 

 trotted, he goes as if his legs were tied together, his stride being 

 shortened in a remarkable manner, but without exhibiting tlie pe- 

 culiar fumbling gait of the foundered animal. As in his case, soft 

 ground suits him, and he has no fear of plough, because his sole 

 is hard and unyielding. Many tolerably confirmed cases of navicu- 

 lar disease may, therefore, be hunted, except when the ground is 

 hard, supposing, of course, that they are kept off the road ; but no 

 plan of management will enable them to bear the jars incidental to 

 harness-work or hacking. When one foot only is the subject of na- 

 vicular disease, it often happens that it is smaller altogether than the 

 other ; but it is somewhat diflicult to say whether this is a cause 

 or a consequence of inflammation. One thing is quite clear, that 

 many horses are met with, still perfectly free from lameness, in 

 which there is a difference of size in their fore feet ; but whether 

 or no these are afterwards invariably the subjects of navicular dis- 

 ease, it is almost impossible to ascertain. It is, however, the gene- 

 ral opinion, founded on experience, that when this variation exists, 

 navicular disease is extremely likely to attack the smaller foot, if 

 it is not already there; and for this reason, horses with such feet 

 are generally avoided by the intending purchaser. 



The treatment of navicular disease, as before remarked, is only 

 successful in the early stage, before either ulceration or adhesion 

 has taken place. If a horse with strong concave soles suddenly 

 becomes lame, points his toe, and shows other signs that his navicu- 

 lar bone is inflamed, he should be treated in the usual way suited 

 to inflammation, and at the same time liberty should be given to 

 the vascular tissues to expand, by reducing the substance of the 

 horn. Bleeding at the toe has the double good effect of abstract- 

 ing blood, and at the same time weakening the sole, so is to allow 



