CONTRACTION. 
159 
breadth. So that horses may have their feet considerably 
contracted without being at all unsound. From this, how¬ 
ever, we would not have the purchaser hastily to jump 
at the conclusion that a horse with feet such as we have 
just described is positively sound; on the contrary, we 
would recommend him carefully to examine such a horse 
scrupulously, but if he finds his action good, and his other 
points as he would wish them, then we would not recom¬ 
mend him to reject the animal. 
The species of contraction which occasions permanent 
lameness, generally proceeds from another cause, and is not 
only sudden in its attack, but also extreme in its nature. 
This is inflammation of the small plates which cover the 
coffin-bone. This inflammation is not so violent as in 
acute founder, but it speedily assumes a serious character, 
and terminates in distressing results ; and thus we find that 
it proceeds from causes which were concealed from our view, 
and too frequently unsuspected. 
We have already said that contraction is rare in agricul¬ 
tural horses, but it is of frequent occurrence in the stud ol 
a gentleman or coach-proprietor. In both these latter 
situations much more attention is paid to shoeing, not 
only in the construction, but also to the frequency ot 
change. This would appear an anomaly, and contrary to 
the theory which we have advocated. However, this may 
be accounted for by the circumstance that blood-horses are 
extremely liable to contraction, induced no doubt by the 
smallness of their feet and the original narrowness of their 
heels. In horses equally high bred it has been observed 
that proneness to contraction depends much upon colour, 
as the dark chestnut horses are, above all others, liable to 
be thus affected ; while in the broad, flat-hoofed cart-horse, 
contraction seldom occurs. 
