LAMENESS IN HORSES. 
491 
wards of the frog and the* pressure downwards of the navicular 
bone. Seeing, then, that the frog, if pressed upon, will restore 
parts to a state of expansion which are contracted, it is con- 
clusive to my mind that it performs the function we ascribe to it. 
The hoof I hold in my hand was once very much contracted, 
but the horse was turned out and it became expanded again. 
By rasping the horn (at the heels and quarters), thinning the 
sole and lowering the heels, and giving pressure to the frog, you 
expand the cartilages which project above the hoof, and thus 
force out the horn which thereabouts is as thin as paper, this 
thinning of the hoof increasing the power of the cartilages. And 
the operation is aided by the application of moisture to the hoof, 
which may be done by tying the horse up in a pond all day.” 
For expanding the Heels by Force, “ there has been,” 
continues Coleman, “ an instrument recommended, by means of 
which they certainly have been dilated to a considerable degree, 
consisting of a shoe having a joint at the toe, and a screw cross- 
bar at the heels, which are made with inside clips. I can 
readily imagine that this may be productive of good in some 
cases, i. e., as far as opening the heels go ; but there is less 
danger in bringing this about by a process of growth, and you 
are more likely to accomplish it effectually than through any 
mechanical operation. 
The Removal of Contraction does not always re- 
move Lameness. “Although,” goes on to say Coleman, “we 
have had no difficulty in restoring the original form of the hoof, 
we frequently find we have gained nothing by it; nor could it 
be expected, unless we can at the same time restore the original 
structure of the parts contained within the contracted hoof. 
Contraction, by pressure upon the parts within the hoof, pro- 
duces inflammation of the laminse and ossification of them. This 
accounts for the horse cantering or galloping instead of trotting, 
and so avoiding coming down with his heels upon the hard 
ground, and thereby experiencing concussion, arising from want 
of elasticity in the laminae ; so that (although the contraction be 
removed), if the horse come to be worked, he will fall lame again. 
In nine cases out of ten of what we term groggy or foundered 
horses, these parts, inconsequence of chronic inflammation, have 
become altered in structure, effusion of lymph or bony matter 
having taken place.” 
The grand Point at which I am at issue with 
Coleman IS, that, instead of contraction of the hoof producing 
inflammation of the foot, in my opinion it is the inflammation 
that gives rise to the contraction. I believe, as I said before, 
pure contraction, i. e., contraction without any disease of the 
