WEAKNESS OF THE FOOT 159 



an angle of forty-five degrees ; but in this formation 

 the angle will not exceed from thirty-eight to forty 

 degrees. This inclination is but ill adapted for re- 

 sisting the effects of pressure ; and consequently, after 

 the animal has been worked for one or two years, 

 the line of inclination, instead of being straight, 

 becomes hollowed half-way between the coronet and 

 the toe a defect that also occurs in pumiced feet. 

 The surface presents an irregularly rough appear- 

 ance, but is more frequently roughened in circles or 

 rings ; and the general structure of the crust assumes 

 a conical form, with the lower portion, or sole, 

 presenting an unnaturally wide aspect ; and in most 

 instances the foot is larger than it ought to be. 



In this ill-formed foot the sole is always so flat 

 that it will not stand paring when the horse is shod, 

 and it will be found that the bars are very small in 

 size, indeed, in many cases they can hardly be said to 

 exist ; the heels are so low that the coronet appears 

 almost to touch the ground, and the crust is so thin 

 that it will hardly be capable of holding the nails of 

 the shoe. Little good can be expected from horses 

 with such feet. Besides, they are certain to be 

 liable to corns ; also to frequent bruises and con- 

 vexity of the sole ; to the crust being broken ; to 

 sprain and injury of the pastern, the fetlock, and 

 flexor tendons ; and to punctures from the nails in the 

 operation of shoeing. 



Feet of this construction are susceptible of little 

 or no improvement. To those who have the mis- 

 fortune to possess horses with these feet, we can only 

 recommend that which we have condemned in the 

 healthy state, namely, to shoe them as seldom as 

 possible. The web of the shoe should be light and 

 concave ; the foot should be as sparingly pared as 



