CROSS-BRED HORSES AND VANNERS 



Take particular notice of the carriage of the head, an 

 incUnation to the horizontal being objectionable, predisposing 

 the animal to stumble. I like a horse to carry his head well up, 

 so that it can lift its feet freely from the ground. Action is 

 most important. If a horse has not good action it will not do 

 good service. Shoulders, knees and hocks to be freely flexed 

 and extended, and the direction of placing the feet specially 

 noticed. Toes ought to turn neither inwards nor outwards, but 

 be directed in a line with the body. 



Peculiarity of action is objectionable. For instance, 

 " paddling." If a cart horse turns its toes inwards, it is very 

 liable to bruise its coronet by treading upon it. The feet, of 

 course, are the animal's foundation stone, so that if these are 

 not of the best, trouble will arise sooner or later. 



They must be proportionate, well open at the heels, have a 

 good concave sole, and show a well developed frog and bars. 

 Brittle, flat, and contracted feet are extremely bad, and we 

 should not advise purchase. An indentation in the quarter of 

 the hoof wall, or a crack (sandcrack and false quarter) are 

 equally, or even more, injurious. A seedy or mealy condition 

 of the horn at junction of sole and wall (separation) is not 

 uncommonly present ; if so, it constitutes a defect. 



Such diseases as sidebone, canker, thrush, founder, etc., 

 etc., all constitute unsoundness, and rightly so. Probably the 

 commonest cause of lameness in both light and heavy horses 

 is a bruise or corn upon the sole. It is not comparable to a 

 " corn " on the human subject, being due to a bruise. 

 Although most corns are situated upon the inner quarter of the 

 fore limbs, they are not uncommonly found on the " outer " 

 quarter, more rarely in the hind feet. 



235 



