FAULTY CONFORMATION 119 
Up to now we have described the changes of form in the 
hoof as seen when the contracted foot is viewed from the 
solar surface. With those changes as evident as we have 
depicted them, there will be no difficulty in detecting the 
alterations in the form of the wall. 
In addition to a narrowing from side to side there will be 
noticed an abnormal straightness of the quarters, with 
a turning in, more or less sudden, of the heels. This effect 
is given in these cases by the smith maintaining the shoe 
of a length and width that should normally fit a foot 
of that particular animal's size and substance. This is 
probably done with the idea of deceiving anyone examining 
the solar surface. Viewed from this position, the width of 
the shoe at the heels gives the impression that it is attached 
to a foot of normal breadth. This deception is heightened 
if at the same time has been practised the process of 
‘opening up the heels.’ That expression indicates that the 
bars have been removed, and the lateral lacune of the frog 
made to continue the concavity of the sole. The arch of 
the latter is thus made to appear of much greater extent 
than it really is, and the heels, by reason of their being 
abruptly cut off when removing the bars, also convey the 
false impression of being wide apart. 
The practitioner unversed in the tricks of the forge will 
best guard against this by viewing the foot, while on the 
ground, from behind. From that position he will be able 
to detect the lowness of the quarters, and the projecting 
portion of the shoe, that the hoof, by reason of its sudden 
bending inwards, does not touch. 
The ‘feeling’ manner of the gait before alluded to, 
together with the disinclination to put the foot firmly and 
squarely forward, will sometimes lead the examiner to over- 
look the contraction, and diagnose his case as one of 
shoulder lameness. In many cases, too, such consequent 
conditions as ‘thrushy frogs’ and ‘ suppurating corns’ are 
often treated with utter disregard of the contraction that 
has really brought them about. But above all, the disease 
most likely to be confounded with simple contraction is 
