HORSE— CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 



*S 



it is termed ossification of the lateral carti- 

 lages, or side bones. It is discovered by 

 their prominency aud their rigidity, when 

 pressed between the finger and thumb. 

 Upon the integrity of these parts depend 

 the elasticity and consequent usefulness 

 of the foot. However trifling the appa- 

 rent alteration of structure, it is a serious 

 detraction from the efficiency of a hack ; 

 though on soft ground, at a slow pace, 

 the draught horse will work apparently 

 sound. 



We now arrive at the foot, the founda- 

 tion of the horse, and too much attention 

 cannot be paid to it. If it is imperfect, all 

 other perfections are valueless. The best 

 way of judging whether there is any mal- 

 formation of the feet, either natural or the 

 result of disease, is to front the horse, and 



PERPENDICULAR SECTION OF 

 FOOT AND PASTERN. 



THE 



FIG. II. 



a Flexor tendon, which continues by b, nearly 

 down to g, where it is inserted in the coffin hone. 



c Sessamoid bones. 



d Ligament uniting sessamoid bone to large 

 pastern. 



e Navicular or nut bone. 



h Elastic matter or sensible frog. 



/ Part of coffin bone where the flexor tendon is 

 inserted. 



g Ligament uniting navicular bone to coffin 

 bone. 



k Part to bleed in severe inflammation of foot. 



m m The shank bone. 



r Ligament extending from pasterns to knee. 



j Tendon uniting pasterns to coffin bone. 



n The large pastern. 



c Small pastern or coronary bone. 



t Coffin bone. 



q Crust or wall. 



/ Horny sole. 



c Elastic matter or sensible sole. 



compare the two feet together. Small 

 feet are objectionable, and so a very large 

 foot, that is disproportionate to his size,. 

 is to be avoided. 



Its wall should be round, smooth, level, 

 and of a shining dark color ; full in front, 

 of a proper obliquity, and free from ribs 

 or seams, and perfectly cool. Its proper 

 obliquity ought to be at an angle of 

 forty-five degrees with the plane of the 

 shoe. If the angle is materially less, the 

 sole is flat, or perhaps convex; if the 

 angle exceeds it, the foot is contracted. 



When the outward line or profile of the 

 hoof is irregular, it marks what is called a 

 " shelly foot." This is decidedly bad. If 

 there are any protuberances or rings 

 round it, they indicate that the feet have 

 been affected with fever to such a degree 

 as to produce an unequal growth of horn, 

 which frequently leaves some injurious- 

 consequences in the internal part of the 

 hoof, such as a deposition of lymph be- 

 tween the horny and cartilaginous pro- 

 cesses, which connect the foot and hoof 

 together. If there is any depression or 

 hollow, it betrays separation of the foot 

 from the hoof, and sinking of the coffin 

 bowl, and the sole will be found bulging.. 



No man should trust to a superficial! 

 judgment of the foot, for though he may 

 see the form and shape of the foot to be 



SECTION OF THE FOOT OF THE 

 HORSE. 



Fig. 12. 



a The outside crust of the hoof. 



e e Hollow surfaces on the inner part of the horny 

 frog. 



b Coronary ring. 



c Horny plates on the inner surface of the 

 crust. 



g g The bars. 



dd Continuation of horny lining. 



/ External cleft of the frog. 



h Rounded part of heel. 



