228 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY 



such undivided attention as the sole, as regards shoe- 

 ing; since the success of this mechanical operation 

 chiefly depends upon the paring and defence of this 

 arched homy plate. Viewed from below, the sole 

 commonly presents an arch of more or less concavity. 

 It is subject to vast variety in the degree of the arc ; 

 in some feet it is of surprising depth, and in others the 

 arch is converted into a flattened surface, and yet both 

 seem to perform equally well. In the hind feet the 

 sole is generally more arched than in the fore, and 

 approaches in figure more to the oval than the circle. 

 Its thickness is about one-sixth of an inch. That 

 portion most elevated from the ground that which 

 forms a union with the bars is nearly double the 

 thickness of the central or circumferent parts, and next 

 to this in substance comes the heel. This is situate at 

 the back part of the foot, at which point the crust of 

 the hoof, instead of being continued round and forming 

 a complete circle, is abruptly bent in, as will be seen by 

 a reference to fig. 12, and at /^, fig. n. 



CARTILAGES OF THE FOOT. 



The cartilages are two broad, scabrous, concavo- 

 convex cartilaginous plates which surmount the sides 

 and wings of the coffin bone. There is a groove 

 extending along the upper part of the coffin bone 

 on each side, except at the protuberance, which re- 

 ceives the extensor tendon, and which extends to the 

 very posterior portion of the foot, rising about the 

 quarters fully half-an-inch above the hoof, and dimin- 

 ishing in height backward and forward. These car- 

 tilages occupy a greater portion of the foot than does 

 the coffin bone, as will be observed in fig. 7, Plate vu, 

 z", where it will be seen they extend far behind the 

 coffin bone. They are fixed into two grooves, ex- 

 cavated in the superior lateral borders of the coffin 

 bone, and are thus perfectly secured. 



Between these cartilages is the sensible frog, occu- 



