horses whose heels are thus formed, they never 

 should be chosen for the cavalry or saddle. 

 It should be carefully observed that the sole be 

 neither flat, soft, nor depressed, which indicate 

 that there is not sufficient strength to support 

 the weight of the horse. The frog and bars 

 should be hard, and free from every appearance 

 of disease. The black or dark-coloured hoof 

 is the best. The colour of the hoof is generally 

 determined by that of the legs ; white hoofs 

 being almost invariably the attendants of white 

 legs. The nearer the legs of chesnut horses 

 approach to a blackish complexion, the harder 

 and better v/ill be the hoof. Bays and browns 

 of all shades have invariably black legs, conse- 

 quently good black hoofs. The firmness of 

 the hoof is an essential object, from the pro- 

 tection which it affords to the sensible foot, as 

 well as the strength necessary to support the 

 rider, and to keep the shoe. Farriers, who 

 are in the daily habit of paring hoofs, will 

 confirm this position, as they well know, by 

 the facility or difficulty of the operation, which 

 hoofs are the best. There should be no signs 

 of thickness or sv/elling at the junction of the 

 hair and the hoof. This part is called the co* 



