THE FOOT 505 



tendon, and by cellular membrane with the lower end of the os coronfe. 

 Posteriorly they wind upwards around the ala of the pedal-bone, to Avhich 

 they are firmly fixed, forming the foundation for the heel. But in addition 

 to these lateral or true cartilages, there are also two others, of a fibro- 

 cartilaginous nature, which commence from the sides of the former and 

 proceed forwards towards the heels of the pedal-bone, and spread inwards 

 upon the surface of the tendo-perforans. They are scarcely worthy of being 

 described as distinct cartilages, and appear more like ordinary condensed 

 cellular membrane. 



It will thus be seen that the foot of the horse is a most complicated 

 structure, which is liable to derangement whenever the hoof or horny case is 

 interfered with, and this may occur either from mismanagement in shoeing, 

 causing mechanical injury, or from inflammation of the secreting surface, 

 which will end in the formation of imperfect horn, or from punctures or 

 other wounds of the foot. Perhaps in no organ does an injury so soon 

 produce a return at compound interest, for the inevitable first result is a 

 malformation of the hoof, and this again only adds to the original mischief. 

 Hence it is that in the foot, more than in any other part even, prevention 

 is better than cure, for in many of its diseases it happens that a cure cannot 

 be obtained without rest ; and yet it is also the fact that the secretion of 

 horn will not go on perfectly without the stimulus of necessity afforded by 

 exercise. The position of the leg is such that its veins have a hard task to 

 perform at all times in returning the blood from the feet, but when the 

 horse is not exercised at all they become doubly sluggish, and congestion in 

 them is almost sure to occur. 



