152 THE HORSE. 



toe, flat, and heel, which are at present before the 

 public. 



If the toe ought to come first, then the toe action 

 must be by far the best, safest, and most comfortable — 

 particularly when it is evident and well marked — and 

 the heel action must be the greatest possible defect. 

 Is it found to be the case that the evident toe-action 

 is extremely good, and the evident heel-action extremely 

 bad ? Is there any really practical horseman in the 

 world believes it ? Is it not always found that striking 

 the toe against the ground renders the horse so unsafe 

 that the rider would require to have his life insured, if 

 he has any regard to the welfare of his family ? 



Supposing that the foot should come right flat, stump, 

 upon the ground, the centre of the foot must then be 

 considered practically as the point of contact ; and con- 

 sequently, if a deviation from the natural position takes 

 place at all, it must be a matter of perfect indifi'erence 

 whether it is the heel or the toe comes first. On this 

 view they are both perfectly on a par, because it in- 

 volves the idea of lapng do-v\ai and lifting a stump, and 

 excludes progression by an elastic spring from heel to 

 toe. Now, I ask, would those who advocate the flat 

 position take a horse which plainly puts his toe first to 

 the ground, as readily as the one which evidently brings 

 down the heel ? I am sure they would not. Still, to 



