'FREE LANCE.' 51 



So it is with two out of the three kinds of horn 

 which constitute the hoof. The frog yields vertically 

 and the wall laterally, the rigid sole serving to transfer 

 the pressure as has already been mentioned. Con- 

 sequently, as long as the animal moves, the horn is 

 never at rest. It is perpetually fulfilling the tasks 

 for which it was made, is continually thrown off, and 

 as continually replaced. Any interference with nature, 

 therefore, must of necessity be injurious to the hoof. 



The expansion is not nearly so much as some of 

 its advocates think, but still, there is quite enough to 

 keep the fibres of the three horns in motion. Mr. G. 

 Ransom (' Free Lance '), in his ' Horses and Eoads,' 

 mentions a case where the amount of expansion was 

 carefully measured. The experiments were made by 

 Mi*. Miles, a Devonshire squire, author of ' Miles on 

 the Horse's Foot.' 



'The subject of them was a horse nine years old, 

 which had always worn shoes since he was first put 

 to work, and Lad the shoes removed on purpose for 

 the investigation and experiment. 



' The unshod foot was then lifted up, and its con- 

 tour traced with the greatest precision on a piece of 

 board covered with paper. A similar board was then 

 laid on the ground, the same foot was then placed 

 upon it, and the opposite foot held up whilst it was 

 again traced. 



E 2 



