10 ON THE NAVlcrLAR DISEASE. 



Pointing of or that marked symptom of the disease, pointing f)f 

 wcigiit ro.ivc)- the feet. If such a liorse be carefully watched in 



vd or (liifctcii ,. ,, ., . ., iii •iiir> i 



chiefly (.u the Iiis Stall, witliout bcmg disturbed, he will be lound 



f'Xteiisors— ill- . . 



diraiivc oi" ap- iiicliniii"' liis wcif^iit as much as possible on his ex- 



j)roachiiig dis- c^ o 



case. tensor tendons, and thereby relaxing the limb. 



Allowing the hoof to become hard, dry, and in- 

 elastic, particularly the sole and frog, from the want 

 of stoppings or emollients, a serious evil ensues ; 

 but 1 think the degree of evaporation of the mois- 



imporianrp of turc of the hoof, arisiuc: from the heat of litter, has 



moisture to tiie ^ 



hoof. been much over-rated by Mr. Coleman and others ; 



and I coincide with Mr. Percivall, sen., that the 

 clean straw beds usually given at the present day 

 are perfectly harmless, rather suspecting, that the 

 evaporation is occasioned by heat generated within 

 the foot than applied from without. 



TVith regard to shoeing, as one of the causes, 1 

 believe all writers, ancient and modern (except the 

 renowned Nimrod), are agreed by having desig- 



shoeing, a be- natcd it " a necessary evil." An evil undoubtedly 

 it is of great magnitude, but it is also an inestimable 

 benefit ; as, without this art, horses would be com- 

 paratively useless in proportion to the excellence of 

 our roads. 



The first pernicious consequence of contraction I 

 have invariably observed to be a very gradual dis- 

 placement of the navicular and co/Jin bones : they 

 ascend within the hoof; but more particularly the 

 navicular bone and heels of the colIin bone. This 



