The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-10-28

ROUGH NOTES ON CONTRACTION OF THE
HooF.-A correspondent informs us that
he has valuable mare, the subject Of
contracted feet, and desires to know if
faulty shoeing is not the cause Of the
same. ...
Altered structure, corns, and various
other affections of horses feet are often
attributed to the above cause, and no
doubt rational and improved method Of
preparing the foot, and adjusting a suit
able shoe for the same, may lessen the
liability to some such diseases yet we
contend there are other causes than the
above, over which the blacksmith has lit
tie, if any control. We allude to that
universal law termed hereditary predis-
position which provides that " like shall
produce like" We know that the Black
Hawk, Messenger, and many other per-
manen, varieties of breeds, transmit to
their offspring a popularity of form, tenn
permanent, quality, and color, by which
the lineage of the latter can with certain
ty be determined. And should the parent
labor under any permanent disease, de-
feet or vice, the same is very apt to be,
directly or indirectly, transmitted. The
very color of the hair, accompanied by
particular and distinctive markings, often
extend and re-appear through several gen.
erations Hence, a colt begotten by sire
defective in so important part Of the
animal economy as the feet, {" no foot no
horse" must necessarily in accordance
with natures immutable law, inherit the
same idiosyncyaSy. Therefore, the very
best system of shoeing practised on3na-
tires criminals, would fail, when at
tempting to reverse her DEGREES.
A horse, inheriting the least predispo-
sition to faulty feet, is at all times liable,
when used for dra1ght, or speed, on paved
thoroughfares, to disease of the same,
which may end in contraction, it being,
in nine cases out of ten, the result of
primary disease of the foot
A defect in the conformation of hors-
e's foot, may be so slight as to escape
ordinary observation, yet the defect is
there, liable to augmentation, and sooner
or later the evil is discovered.
That tendency to contraction Of hors-
es' feet does lurk in some breeds, We have
abundant authoritative proof to offer, if
necessary; consequently, faulty shoeing
cannot be classed as the direct cause Of
contraction.
A point-blank argument in favor Of the
blacksmith in this view, is founded on
the fact, that contraction of the hind feet,
which undergo the same system Of shoe
ing, seldom, if ever, become the seat Of
this deformity. Among our truck horses,
may be found many of the Pennsylvania,
New York, and Vermont breeds, that
have to endure all the evils of shoeing, as
well as of domestication yet a great
proportion of them enjoy immunity from
contracted feet. Therefore, the latter
are not predisposed; they have good open
heels, the foot is we'll proportioned in
all its parts, and bears q symmetrical
relationship in size, form, and action, to
the limb and body, which it aids to sup
port and move.
Hence, contraction, as we'll as many
other forms of disease which are observed
in the feet of the horse, have their ORR
gin in hereditary predisposition there
fore, it is matter of impossibility for
smith to make good foot out of one
that was originally defective.-Am
Veterinary Journal