LAYING DOWN THE FOOT. 155 



all possible circumstances, to be consistent vrith free, 

 safe, speedj, elastic, and powerful action, must be the 

 natural one, and all deviations from it are defects. If 

 any plan is ever proved inconsistent with good action, 

 in a healthy state, it cannot be the natui*al one. 



Those who object to the comparison with man, would 

 do well to try their hand with those cases of animals 

 walking on all fours, which have been adduced by Mr. 

 Lupton and Mr. Gamgee. If, as alleged, the cow, dog, 

 camel, and elephant, plant their heel first, why may 

 not the horse do the same ? If such action does not 

 injm-e the former, why should it injure or impede the 

 latter ? 



I confess I have little faith in the light to be derived 

 from the forge in this question — a question which must 

 be settled exclusively by practical observation on the 

 horse whilst in action. Suppose I take up a shoe in 

 the forge and find it greatly worn at the toe in com- 

 parison with the heel, am I justified, on that account, 

 in concluding that the wearer of the shoe brought his 

 toe to the gi'ound first ? Certainly not. If I did, I 

 would just make as childish a mistake as the bootmaker 

 would do, who would conclude that I did not place my 

 own heel fii-mly on the ground, because I wear two or 

 three pair of toes for one pair of heels on my boots. 

 The fact is, it is not the laying down, but the grinding 

 action of lifting, that wears the shoe. 



