62 THE HORSE. 



By what means are we to fonn an accurate estimate 

 of the qualities and condition of the feet ? Simply by 

 inspection. If the examination is made with care, we 

 will seldom be mistaken. 

 X The feet should always bear a neat proportion to 

 the size and weight of the animal they are destmed to 

 carry. It is just as bad to be too large as too small. 

 A very large foot, such as we frequently see in the 

 draught-horse, is particularly Uable to descent of the 

 sole, which is a most serious affair ; and a very small 

 one, such as we often find in the blood-horse, is 

 predisposed to contraction, which is by no means desir- 

 able. Here, as in many other cases, the medium size 

 is the best. 



I do not pretend to be able to settle the point as to 



whether or not ^contraction a/one may ever be able to 



produce inflammation and lameness in the foot. To 



do this would require a great deal more knowledge 



than I possess. Moreover, I do not think it is capable 



) of being satisfactorily settled by any other person. To 



those who are conversant with the nature of the parts 



^ concerned, it must appear very difficult, if not impos- 



I sible, to determine, with perfect accuracy in every 



\$ case, the exact point at which disease may commence. 



No doubt, in most instances, contraction is the result of 



internal inflammation ; but I think it is going too far 



to assert, that it never can become the cause of the 



internal disease. 



