ART OF SHOEING. 529 



dale, the situations suited to that animal's whole nature, 

 where he finds sustenance for life, and where alone his 

 powers, speed, and endurance are required. 



The pedal bone has much of the form of the hoof in its 



exterior aspect; and when the cartilages, with the other 

 structures which attach to the bone, are seen in connection, 

 with the coronary and navicular bones in position, the whole 

 organized structure is similar in its outermost form to that 

 of the hoof. 



As has been said, we cannot, if we wish to understand the 

 subject, confine our views to that which is generally treated 

 as the horse's foot, viz., the hoof, and the organs it envelopes, 

 but a larger understanding of the structure of the limbs and 

 the locomotive functions generally is necessary. 



The horse's hoof is not to be regarded simply as a covering 

 for the protection from external injuries of other structures, 

 namely, that of the sensitive parts. The hoof has its speci- 

 ally assigned sphere in the whole economy of the foot, and 

 each separate component part must be looked on as an 

 essential constituent of the whole organization. Nature 

 does not make one part so imperfect as to require another 

 to minister to its aid. 



The hoof forms an integral part of the foot, and those 

 VOL. n. 4 E 



