DEVELOPMENT OF THE HOOF. 421 



torn, is exactly over the cleft, and tlio same lena-tli. The 

 breadth of the base, also, is about the same as the breadth of 

 the cleft. It rises higher than any other part of the bottom of 

 the foot. The forward edge is nicely rounded, and inclines 

 backward at about the same angle with the wall of the hoof. 

 The upper edge, or top, of the process is thinner than the base, 

 is only about half as broad, and is smoothly rounded off. The 

 back edge corresponds with the groove of the cleft, rising up 

 between the heels of the frog. This high process is composed 

 of ver}^ tough horn, and has been called the frog-stay. 



On each side of the frog-stay there will be seen a deep 

 groove, or ditch, corresponding with the two heels of the frog, 

 starting and running forward toward the center of the foot, and 

 uniting in one channel in front of the forward edge of the frog- 

 sta}^, and at which point the bottom of the groove makes a 

 slight dip, corresponding with the cushion of the frog ; it then 

 becomes rapidly shallow, and terminates, or ends, a little forward 

 of the middle of the foot. These grooves, or ditches, sink 

 down around the frog-sta}^, considerably below the curvature of 

 the bottom of the sole. They are bounded by the frog-stay on 

 their inner side, and by the sides of the frog, which rise up to 

 unite with the bars, on their outer sides. 



DEVELOPMENT OF THE HOOF. 



Some months before the foal is born, the foot will be found 

 to present the appearance of an elongated soft and slightly 

 clastic ball. In place of the hoof will be found a white sub- 

 stance resembling cartilage, but more of the character of skin. 

 That which supplies the place of the wall is thin, and is con- 

 tinuous with the skin ; that supplying the place of the sole is 

 very thick, and is produced by the sensitive sole under it. This 

 is so thick as to present no outline of the bottom of the foot, 

 but projects out like a ball, or the end of ai> c^g. 



These structures are only temporary or provisional. Pretty 

 soon horn commences' to form under the temporay wall. It 



