FAULTY CONFORMATION AND MOVEMENT. 199 



by himself aways. Back him too. Some horses show their 

 weakness or tricks in that way when they do n't in any other. 



The vital part of a horse, as far as his value is concerned, is 

 the foot, for it is only as an organized locomotive machine that 

 the horse is practically the most valuable companion to man. 

 Hence without good feet and supple, muscular legs he would be 

 of small value, either for work or speed, and the rational care 

 of these underlies all else in the equine economy, as any impair- 

 ment of them is a matter of extreme gravity and apprehension. 



It is difficult, indeed, to understand how the feet and legs 

 of horses stand the wear and tear of work in our great cities, 

 where every step of their iron-shod hoofs is upon a hard, un- 

 yielding road ; and where, even at rest in their stables, they are, ' 

 in a majority of cases, condemned to stand upon hard floors. 

 There is no other creature living — save and excepting the don- 

 key or mule — which can long bear the constant battering en- 

 tailed by rapid locomotion over a paved surface. But if we 

 look at the structure of the horse's foot (Figs. 3 to 15) we see 

 how it is that the jar and vibration do not injure them more — 

 severe as it is known to be. He is in fact mounted on springs,, 

 and it is not surprising that the intricate apparatus of locomo- 

 tion, w^ith its symmetry of movement and the perfection of its 

 details should be admiringly termed " a living machine." 



In the language of another : " His very muscles appear at 

 every motion, not soft and flabby, but firm and distinct. His 

 veins, like rivulets, run in an infinite number of meanders, 

 his limbs are clean, nervous, durable and ready at every call — 

 and of all creatures he seems to approach nearest man, both for 

 beauty, majesty and sagacity, and his services are likewise the 

 most noble and excellent." 



The drawings on the following pages fairly illustrate the dif- 

 ference between well-formed and malformed legs, and good and 

 faulty standing positions. A comparison of these may enable the 

 reader to judge for himself as to what is the best position, and 



