32 PRACTICAL HORSESHOEING. 



apparatus, being uniformly compressed throughout its 

 extent, receives everywhere an equal quantity of the horn- 

 producing material. 



It is the same with the wear of the hoof. A just dis- 

 position of the weight is a necessary condition of the 

 regularity of wear. While the animal is standing on un- 

 shod hoofs, the wear of horn is slight ; it is in movement 

 that it becomes increased, and this increase is generally in 

 proportion to the speed, the weight carried, nature of the 

 ground, and whether its surface be wet or dry. Each 

 portion of the lower face of the hoof — wall, sole, bars, and 

 frog — should take its share of wear and strain ; but it 

 will be readily understood that this cannot be properly 

 effected if the weight is thrown more upon one side than 

 the other ; that part which receives the largest share will 

 be subjected to the greatest amount of loss from wear, 

 and this, with the diminished secretion of horn, will tend 

 to distort foot and limb still more. 



In a well-formed leg and foot the degrees of resistance 

 of the different parts of the hoof are so well apportioned 

 to the amount of wear to be sustained, that all are equally 

 reduced by contact with the ground, and the whole is 

 maintained in a perfect condition as regards growth and 

 wear. 



The amount of growth, even in a well-proportioned 

 foot, varies considerably in different animals, according 

 to the activity prevailing in, or the development of, the 

 secreting apparatus ; and in this respect the operations 

 of the farrier, as we will notice hereafter, are not without 

 much influence. 



It may be laid down as a rule, that the horn grows 

 more rapidly in warm dry climates, than in cold wet ones; 

 in healthy energetic animals, than in those which are soft 

 and weakly ; during exercise, than in repose ; in young, 

 than in old animals. Food, labor, and shoeing, also add 



