24 r)X TIIK NAVICULAR DISKASE. 



box ; secondly, a thouglitfiil, steady master ; thirdly, 

 a farrier who will carefully shorten the toe, lower 

 the heels, and pare the sole to a nicety, at the ex- 

 piration of every three weeks ; but this farrier must 

 also be an artist sufficient to make a seated shoe of 

 an equal thickness heel and toe (which latter may 

 be slightly elevated), and he must secure the shoe 

 by nailing all round the toe, and avoiding the inside 

 heel, and even the quarter. 

 Narrow heels I am couviuced that a sound horse with narrow 

 accompanied ^ heels (if managed in the way I have just described) 



by lameness. ^ n p xl 'IT i. 



may be preserved tree irom the navicular disease to 

 the latest period of life. 



By taking all these precautions, with the continu- 

 ance of gentle motion in a loose stable, the hoof 

 How avoided, will bccomc clastic, and its elasticity be preserved : 

 the sole and bars, not acquiring an undue thickness, 

 will be at all times susceptible of the natural im- 

 pression from the coffin and navicular bones, and 

 will yield under the superincumbent weight, and 

 give room for the navicular bone and tendon not 

 only to descend obliquely backwards, but also leave 

 free space for the back action or pulley-like motion 

 of the tendon against the bone at the instant the 

 flexor pcrforans muscle, by its powerful contraction, 

 lifts the foot again from the ground. Thus the par- 

 tial pressure or contraction on this important joint 

 ])cing prevented, the general contraction of the hoof 

 is rendered comparatively harmless. 



