VARIETY IN HOOFS. 179 



As to the hoofs, they vary in shape, in texture, 

 in the rapidity of their growth, and in the angle at 

 which they are set on the ground. There are round 

 hoofs and long hoofs, high hoofs and flat hoofs, tough 

 hoofs and brittle hoofs, &c. 



Then, as it is very difficult to procure a horse 

 whose hoofs have been untouched, it is necessary 

 to take into consideration the amount of mutilation 

 to which they have been subjected, and the conse- 

 quent caution that will be required in the treatment. 



Again, as has already been pointed out, even if 

 no interior ailment be manifest, incipient thrush may 

 exist, and exhibit no symptoms until the removal 

 of the shoe and the pressure of the hoof upon the 

 ground cause it to be detected. (N.B. When this is 

 the case, there are sure to be some who will say that 

 the thrush was caused and not detected by the re- 

 moval of the shoe.) 



Thus, although the general structure of the hoof 

 is alike in all horses, and the principle in which it is 

 to be renovated is the same, the details must be 

 subject to considerable variation, the amount and 

 kind of which must be left to the discretion of the 

 owner. 



On referring to page 164, the reader will see that 

 Mr. Whitmore Baker gives a minute description of 

 the method which he employed while hardening 



N 2 



