IN SEARCH OF A HORSE. 69 



the fore shoe remains, but it is inaudible : when the 

 horse has been ridden for a week or two, the hind 

 toe becomes worn away, and then the iron strikes 

 audibly as usual. 



If the toes of the hind feet " drag the ground," it 

 is a defect indicative of disease in the hocks ; a drop- 

 ping or irregular carriage of the head is a sure sign 

 of lameness. Very high action is bad — it is often 

 unpleasant to the rider; it wears and bruises the 

 feet on hard roads, and it is not unfrequently the 

 cause of the speedy cut; the foot striking against 

 the inside of the opposite knee ; this is particularly 

 the case in horses with broad feet and soft heels. 

 Very low action is unsafe, for obvious reasons; the 

 toe has a tendency to strike any accidental elevation 

 of the ground, such as a large stone or frozen rut, 

 and becomes worn almost to the quick ; thus the foot 

 is injured even if the horse is not brought down. 

 Some horses are very apt to turn their feet very 

 much outwards or inwards in their trot ; either de- 

 fect is very unpleasant to the eye, and the latter 

 often unsafe : the former is usually found in slow 

 horses, the other in fast trotters. To judge if such a 

 fault exists, it is prudent to change your position to 

 7 



