300 THE FORE LIMB. 



turned out on marshy ground. Also, in those parts of 

 India where the yearly rain-fall, though large in quantity, 

 is practically confined to about four consecutive months, 

 it is found that the growth of the horses' feet during the 

 " monsoons " is much greater than it is in the dry weather. 

 Hence, we may be right in concluding that this stimula- 

 tion in growth is one of length of horn, and not one of 

 increased horny material. The increased growth of the 

 hoof during the monsoons may, however, be due to the 

 fact that this growth is more rapid during the spring, 

 which is the monsoon time, than at other periods of the 

 year. The great trouble with heavy cart-horses in England 

 is the w^eakness of their hoofs, the horn of which, as 

 a rule, is not nearly so strong as that of well-bred 

 horses ; although the strain which falls on it is much 

 greater than that which tries the tenacity of the horn of 

 the feet of saddle horses. Considering the greater size 

 of the muscles and bones of the draught animal, we 

 might expect that the horn of his hoofs would be propor- 

 tionately stronger than that of the half-bred. The fact 

 that it is not stronger, is a proof that English cart-horses 

 are deficient in one of the most important points of useful- 

 ness. Veterinary surgeons in practice in England and 

 Scotland can tell us that the large majority (I would 

 say about nine-tenths) of cart-horses which come to them 

 for treatment, are foot cases. The ideal hoof of a cart- 

 horse should in no way differ from that which is most 

 suitable to a light trapper, hunter, or race-horse, except 

 that it should be larger and consequently stronger. 

 Therefore, weak feet, with low, spread-out heels and flat 

 soles, have become far too generally accepted as charac- 

 teristics of cart-horses. Small contracted feet are equally 

 bad. 



The inner side of the foot is more upright than the 

 outer side (Fig. 377), and the inner side of its ground 

 surface is straighter (Fig. 382) ; conditions which provide 

 for more weight falling, on the inner than on the outer side 



