40 PURCHASING FROM THE STABLES. 



bars; c c, the frog; D, the cleft; e, the toe; 

 four f's, the sole ; six g's, all round, the crust ; 

 H, a line drawn across the centre, showing the 

 outside bottom of the hoof, is more circular 

 than the inside. If the hinder part of the 

 quarters is not the broadest part, then the 

 foot was either never perfectly formed, or has 

 become contracted from want of parting, bad 

 shoeing, or disease. If the hinder part of the 

 quarters should be as broad as the forepart of 

 the foot ; the frog a good width ; the bottom of 

 the foot properly concave ; and the hoof in front, 

 from the coronet down to the toe, rather upright, 

 this will be the next most desirable form to 

 choose, for you need not expect to get a perfect 

 foot. If the frog should be small, and the heels 

 much wired or pinched in, you must judge from 

 the firmness with which he brings his heels to 

 the ground whether the wiring-in has made him 

 at all tender : if you think it has, or if you are in 

 doubt, reject him ; for this wiring-in proceeding 

 so far as to cause tenderness, which quickly runs 

 on to lameness, is the true chronic founder ; and 

 though, by six or eight months' laying up, the 

 heels may probably be opened again, the tender- 

 ness will still remain. 



Should the foot be small at the coronet, gra- 

 dually enlarging downwards like a sugar-loaf, it 



