24 THE HORSE. 



As feet of this description are adapted only for the 

 work such horses are required to perform in their native 

 country, it may j^erhaps be riglit enough to call them 

 sound, prior to receiving injury. It is for the buyer to 

 judge whether or not they are adapted to the work he 

 requires. 



Still, why this weakly foot should be allowed to pass 

 as sound, to the prejudice of the other, I have always 

 been at a loss to know. The colt foaled with certain 

 sized feet — the effect of the soil on which it was bred — 

 although it has never been afflicted with lameness or dis- 

 ease of any kind, is said to have contracted feet, and is 

 condemned as unsound, because it is imagined that its 

 hoofs are narrower than Fancy's prescribed limits. '^ He 

 is unsound," says one; ^^lam doubtful," says another, 

 " whether, according to law, it is unsoundness; he seems 

 to go very well at present. He might have been better 

 had they been a little more open. " 



Why should this be? In the human bemg, not only 

 in different nations, but in the same country, we see peo- 

 ple with feet of various sizes, but they are all equally 

 capable of walking and of common exertion. I never 

 knew a fast runner or a great walker amongst bipeds 

 who had an extremely large foot; on the contrary, tlie 

 feet of pedestrians, properly so called, are mostly, if 

 not of the moderate size, rather under it. '^ Yes," some 

 will say, *M3ut the human foot is not confined within a 

 box of horn, capable of yielding but slightly." Most 

 true; but nature fits the horn to the foot, and not the 

 foot to the horn. 



Horses, therefore, which have naturally small feet, but 

 not so small as to cause them inconvenience, may witli- 

 out doubt be pronounced Sound. 



Should the various reasons stated in this and previous 

 articles not be convincing, I may say that some of tlie 

 best veterinary surgeons are of opinion that, where 



