132 HOESES AND ROADS. 



a model of lightness and strength, that the bones 

 contain cavities, which ' are only there to allow of 

 the bone being as light as possible, and as cavities 

 are otherwise quite worthless. The upper jaw forms 

 an arch, having substantial buttresses in the molar 

 teeth and their bony sockets, and the span is of 

 gigantic strength and extremely light, from its hollow 

 construction.' 



The tail, amongst other purposes, serves as a 

 rudder with which the horse helps to steer himself 

 when at speed, and the racer gets the benefit of it 

 as such ; but we have amongst us barbarians who 

 amputate the end of the spinal column, and fancy 

 that, when they have thus mutilated the animal, they 

 have rendered it more beautiful than the Creator 

 had been able to do ! 



A crusade is, at this moment, being preached 

 against the cruelty of vivisection by people who 

 condone the practice of vivisection of the horse, 

 when they purchase and drive those who have been 

 thus wantonly mutilated; and they go further 

 against their professed creed when they pay another 

 barbarian to subject his feet periodically to vivisec- 

 tion and vivicremation. These people are straining 

 at a gnat and swallowing a camel with a vengeance. 

 They have the choice of three things either to 

 abandon their practice, withdraw their theory, or 

 appear as imbeciles before the world. Which road 

 will they choose ? There is no compromise. 



The description of the hoof already given can 

 scarcely fail to show that as much care has been 



