CONTRACTION. ] 61 
Both heels are sometimes contracted, at other times the 
inner one only. While both are affected, the inner one is 
generally wired in , in most instances, but chiefly at the 
coronet, at other times near to the sole of the foot; but 
most frequently the contracted part is situated intermedi¬ 
ately between the coronet and sole. But in whatever por¬ 
tion of the foot the contraction exists, it will be indicated 
by that part being much warmer than the rest, and by an 
unusual degree of concavity in the sole * sometimes to a very 
great extent. 
Remedies. —Many have been the inventions to prevent 
and retard the progress of contraction; few, however, of 
these have had more than an ephemeral existence. The 
medical remedies of this complaint should not be entrusted 
to any but a regular veterinary surgeon ; because the chief 
thing to be done is to remove the inflammation which may 
exist, and this is best effected by local bleeding and doses 
of physic. The sole should be pared as much as it will 
bear ; the quarters should then be deeply rasped, taking 
care not to penetrate so deep as the coronary ring, (plate 6, 
fig. 9, c) The toe ought next to be rasped, and it should 
likewise be scored. Wet clay ought to be so placed in the 
stall that the horse will stand in it all day, and at night a 
plentiful supply of wet cloths should be tied round the 
foot; or he may be put out to wet pasturage and his feet 
frequently pared and rasped, as above recommended. It 
will require a run of five or six months before the horn will 
have grown fully down. He may then be shod, but without 
nails in the inner side of the shoe. The foot will have 
enlarged considerably. He may now be gently worked. It 
will be found, however, that where expansion has taken 
place forward on the quarters, that the crust will not have 
its natural adhesion with the elongated and narrowed heels 
