53 



in their progress by bad shoeing, and the heat 

 and dryness of the stable. 



Other diseases, however, are produced in tlie 

 foot, from a direct opposite cause ; namely, 

 weakness in the walls or crust. In this case 

 the sole sinks to the ground, and instead of 

 being in some degree concave, it is frequently 

 convex, so that the middle of the sole touches 

 the ground before any other part of the hoof. 

 This is called a pumied foot, and a horse witii 

 a hoof of this description, cannot travel witli 

 ease or safety, except the sole be raised from 

 the ground by a broad convex shoe. The heels 

 of a pumied foot are so weak, that their na- 

 tural growth is not sufficient to resist the 

 weight of the body ; hence they are never so 

 high and prominent as the sole and frog, and 

 never require to be pared with the buttress in 

 shoeing. The frog, however, by the pressure 

 which it is obliged to endure, is always sound, 

 and hard; consequently, horses with feet of 

 this form very seldom have running thrushes, 

 though they are liable to corns and bruises 

 in the sole, from its being more exposed to in- 

 jury. Horses, nevertheless, may be subject to 

 both the above cases of malformation in the 

 feet, and yet not be absolutely lame. Tliose 

 defects, therefore, do not always constitute 

 unsoundness, except the animal be lame at the 

 time of sale. 



