66 THE HORSE. 



die away very gradually and slowly towards the heel 

 and toe, so as to leave the greatest breadth across the 

 centre. It should be tolerably deep from the hair to 

 the point of the toe, and then lessen gradually in height 

 towards the heel, still, however, preserving a fair 

 amount of thickness. Avoid a very high heel quite 

 as much as a very low one. Both are decidedly 

 objectionable, y- 



I cannot agree with the generally received opinion, 

 that the cu'cular foot is the best and most naturally 

 formed. I am quite satisfied a perfectly round foot 

 will not stand anything like the same amount of work 

 as one that is a little longer than broad. The differ- 

 ence, however, in length and breadth, should not be ex- 

 treme. Moreover, there is a great probability that 

 the elongated foot is the most natural for the full- 

 grown horse. I may be told the foal and the unshod 

 horse have both round feet, and therefore that the 

 round form must be the natural one. But I am not 

 satisfied with the correctness of this line of argument. 

 It is quite as unreasonable to argue that the foal's foot 

 should still preserve its shape, as it would be to affirm, 

 that its legs and head must always continue to bear 

 the same proportion to the rest of the body, as they did 

 at the time of birth. In short, the foal becomes greatly 

 changed as it passes into the horse, and I do not see 

 any reason why we should expect the feet alone to re- 

 main stationary in their form. 



