The Foot Its Care and Shoeing. 117 



heel is reached, at which point the wall makes a sharp 

 turn inwards and forwards until it meets near the point 

 of the frog, the continuation of the wall from the oppo- 

 site heel; the wall thus forms an acute angle at the heels 

 and it is at this point where corns are usually found; 

 these inturned portions of the wall are called "the bars" 

 and act as braces to the foot, consequently they should 

 not be cut any lower than is absolutely necessary. The 

 outer surface of the wall is rounded and covered by its 

 protector, the hoof varnish or periople, which should not 

 be removed by the rasp, such removal exposes the horn 

 to the softening, drying and destroying influences of the 

 weather, the horn of the wall is not meant to be soft, it 

 has to bear weight, on the other hand it is not improved 

 by a drying out process of which brittleness is the result; 

 it is* however, interesting to note that the feet of horses 

 grown in dry countries are more durable than those of 

 horses raised in wet countries (Points of the Horse, 

 Hayes). The growth of horn is similar to that of plants, 

 excessive moisture being bad for both. The internal 

 surface of the hoof presents from five to six hundred 

 little parallel plates known as the horny or insensitive 

 laminae. The leaves ( laminae) are separated from one 

 another by deep grooves into which fit the corresponding 

 sensitive leaves (laminae). Jn a groove at the upper 

 part of the wall lies the coronary cushion (band), from 

 it is developed the wall. The inferior border of the wall 

 is that part to which the shoe is attached and when un- 

 shod is in contact with the ground. The slope of the wall 

 should be that given by an angle of 50 and should con- 

 form somewhat to the slope of the pastern; the outer 



