282 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM. 



is beyond doubt very much hereditary, as there 

 are some strains of blood which are more predis- 

 posed to it than others, and it has been traced back 

 for generations of the same blood. 



In ordinary diseases of the foot, the diseased 

 foot is generally the hottest of the two ; with navi- 

 cular disease this is not the case. It is a peculiarity 

 of this disease that the affected foot is generally 

 the coldest — indeed, at times icily cold — but the 

 temperature very seldom remains constant for any 

 length of time, and a foot so affected mav be at one 

 time icy cold, and within a few minutes equally hot. 

 The presence of navicular disease is generally 

 indicated by a horse pointing his leg out in the 

 stable, for the purpose, it may be presumed, of 

 relaxing the pressure of the ligament on the bone. 

 Whenever a horse so stands in the stable it is to 

 be regarded with great suspicion. 



Whenever doubt may arise as to which is the 

 diseased foot, if both feet are wetted simultaneously, 

 and one is seen to dry more rapidly than the other, 

 it may be assumed that the one which remains wet 

 the longest is the one affected. When a horse con- 

 tracts the disease in one foot, the other foot gener- 

 ally follows suit, probably from sympathy. It is 

 better to continue to work a horse in the first stages 

 of the ailment, as work promotes the circulation, 



