146 



BOARD OF AGRICULTDRE. 



sufferers. I have already mentioned the function of the fore limbs 

 to be mainly the support of the weight, and its transference forward 

 from point to point during the motion of the animal. In doing this, 

 a considerable degree of concussion is inflicted upon the foot every 

 time it strikes the ground. The direction of this concussion is 

 neither right downward, nor right forw^ard, but between the two ; 

 partaking of the horizontal motion of the body of the animal along 

 the road, and of the perpendicular direction of the descent of his 

 weight. 



Every one knows the additional power of resisting or sustaining 

 concussion and weight, any fibrous substance has if struck or pressed 

 in the direction of the fibres, besides if acted on in any other. The 

 hoof of the horse is composed of an infinite number of dense fibres, 

 strongly agglutinated together ; and to enable it with the greatest 

 advantage to meet and support the concussion there is when it strikes 

 the ground, these fibres are every one of them so placed in the unshod 

 foot as to receive the shock directly on their ends. (See fig. 13.) 

 In addition to this, the front part of the hoof, where the force of 

 the concussion is greatest, (see fig. 6,) is twice or thrice as thick and 

 strong as the side and heels, its slope indicating exactly the direction 

 of the descent of the horse's weidit. 



Fig. 



6. 



Figure 6 — Is a section of a fore foot cut across half way between 

 the ground surface and the top of the hoof, to show the increased 



