IN SEARCH OF A HORSE. 81 



it is a ligament in the true anatomical sense of the 

 term ; such, however, is its name. 



The crust of the hoof extends itself towards the 

 heel, and then abruptly curves inwards, in the form 

 delineated below. 



The ends thus inclining inwards are called the 

 bars ; they are not usually seen ex- 

 cept in faint traces in London horses, 

 for, from a very mistaken and mis- 

 chievous policy of the farrier, whose 

 ambition is to give the foot an open appearance at 

 the expense of safety and soundness, they are cut 

 away in paring the foot for the shoe ; and this is 

 what they call " putting the foot in order I" I have 

 scarcely ever seen a horse in a dealer's stables that 

 retained the bars perfect. 



The frog is an elastic horny substance between the 

 bars, occupying about a fourth part of the foot, and 

 in the shape of the letter Y inverted. It will be 

 more clearly understood from a figure. 

 It is also the fashion to reduce and 

 pare away the frog as well as the 

 bars. To do this so far as not to 



expose it to the first contact with the 

 8 



