TJic Country Gcntlcmaiis Magazine 



habit and render service on firm dry surfaces 

 of the earth; each species having its structures 

 suited to the circumstances under which it 

 is placed. Thus we find the goat and the 

 chamois gathering the spare herbage on the 

 high mountain-ridges, the slieep feeding and 

 enjoying health on the evergreen slopes of 

 a lower level, whilst the fertile hill and dale 

 — the selected abodes of people — affords the 

 most suitable conditions for the subsistence of 

 the horse, and the display of his unrivalled 

 qualities for rendering service to man. The 

 ox we find distributed over even a larger 

 space of the earth's surface than the horse ; it 

 descends to the low swampy grounds, and 

 feeds on the luxuriant grasses which abound 

 there, ranges over among plains, and is found 

 occupying mountainous districts among the 

 stunted brushwood and fir-trees. The camel 

 affords an instance of infinite wisdom in the 

 adaptation of the foot to special requirements, 

 the cushion with which its foot is pro- 

 vided, makes that animal superior to every 

 other for travelling over the drifting sands of 

 the desert. All these various species of ani- 

 mals endowed with hoofs, possess one cha- 

 racteristic feature in common — their cannon 

 bones — corresponding to the analogous bones 

 of the hand and foot of man, and which in 

 these quadrupeds extend from the knee and 

 hock to the jDastern, are very lengthy; and 

 another characteristic is the small size of their 

 feet compared to the weight of these animals 

 respectively. Examining a little further, we 

 see that these characteristics are most marked 

 in the speedy races, and in individuals of 

 the same species whose general formation 

 adapts them for great feats of velocity ; no- 

 tably in the Arabian and English blood- 

 horse, in the deer, in the mountain goat, 

 &c. The foot proper in each of these con- 

 sists of the last phalanx or segment of the 

 limb, and is so constituted as to have more 

 strength concentrated into a small compass 

 than is the case with the long and more ex- 

 tended foot of other orders. Comparing the 

 ostrich with the swan, we find a small 

 energetic foot associated with length of lever- 

 age in the swift, whilst short legs and flat 

 broad feet are the characteristic features of 



those animals designed either for swimming, 

 or walking on soft muddy ground. It is the 

 length of the levers of the metacarpal and 

 metatarsal regions in the horse, deer, &c., 

 acting on the admirably-adapted foot, which 

 gives speed, power, and the means for sus- 

 tained exertion. The foot, besides its strong 

 bony internal framework, has additionally, as 

 its outer encasement, the hoof; and in con- 

 nexion with these — the foot's inner and outer 

 supports (the bony and the horny) — every 

 yielding structure acts; and from this most 

 perfect organisation results indescribable 

 strength, unvarying precision, and freedom 

 from concussion. 



Inquiring now into the conditions requisite 

 for the proper action of these parts, we shall 

 find that, in order to fulfil its function the 

 hoof must be firm, tough, and free from weak- 

 ness through any cause. Custom has, how- 

 ever, changed these conditions, and has caused 

 horses to be kept with their feet wet, as if this 

 were favourable to growth and efficiency, all 

 sight being lost of the fact, that under such 

 conditions horses are produced with weak 

 feet, becoming unsound when slight disturb- 

 ing causes come into operation, such as work, 

 shoeing, &c., supplies. 



The customs which doom the horse to ex- 

 posure to wet and filth over his hoofs from 

 foalhood, and during his working career to soft 

 and thin soles, render the hoof altogether in- 

 capable of performing its office; and instead 

 of being endowed with that complete stability 

 which it requires, it yields to every force. 



In the oldest treatise which has been trans- 

 mitted to us on the horse and his manage- 

 ment, we are told that " the first part to be 

 attended to is the foot. The same attention 

 which is given to supply a horse with food, 

 and to let him have due exercise, that he may 

 be healthy and strong, is also requisite to be 

 observed in order to keep his feet in proper 

 condition. Moist, smooth or flat floors will 

 injure even those hoofs which are by nature 

 good and sound" (Xenophon). 



These maxims with all that composes the 

 treatise of the Athenian philosopher were the 

 horseman's guide for ages; but where we find 

 them set at nought, unsound, unsafe, and 



