CHAPTER V. 



THE REQUISITES OF PERFECT BALANCE. 



I. THE CONSTANT SHAPE OF HOOF. 



David Roberge tells us that the foot of the horse "points in the 

 direction of the elevated part of the foot." His remarks deserve to be 

 quoted : 



"The foot which enjoys perfect equilibrium to-day will have lost 

 a portion of that equilibrium by to-morrow, and this law goes on in- 

 creasing every day until the overgrowth of horn has destroyed the 

 horse's due balance so that he can neither stand nor travel at ease ; thus 

 showing that this extra growth of horn requires trimming and paring 

 very frequently in order to preserve the balance which results from 

 the maintenance of the proper size and proportions of the hoof." 



"Any increase or surplus growth of the hoof, whether at the toe 

 or at the heels or the sides of the foot, will cause the horse to point 

 with his foot in the direction of the elevated portion of the foot.' 

 Whether it be with the toe of the hoof or the toe of the shoe, he will, 

 invariably point in that direction." (P. 14.) 



The author says elsewhere : "* * * the normal condition of the 

 foot and leg and the harmony of movement while in motion depend 

 absolutely upon the perfect equilibrium of the foot." (P. 22.) 



Roberge called his principles a theory. The term is misleading, 

 inasmuch as it often is used as the opposite of practice. His theory has 

 the deeper and more scientific meaning of an exposition of certain 

 principles upon which certain practical results or facts are founded. 

 By seeking for a common cause of the difficulties of balancing and of 

 the facts observed by him, he endeavored to place shoeing upon some 

 scientific basis and thus eliminate from it the mystery of chance. His 



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