224 



ANIMAL MANAGEMENT. 



Make and 

 shape of 

 feet. 



"Point- 

 ing." 

 Flat feet. 



Narrow 

 feet. 



Fleshy 

 feet. 



Weak 

 heels. 



Compara- 

 tive 



growth of 

 horn in 

 diiferent 

 feet. 



Make ajid shape of feet.— "Looktd at from the front, normal forefeet 

 are rounded at the toe, which makes a slope of about 50 degrees with 

 the ground ; the inside is rather more upright than this, and the outside 

 rather less so. When the ground surface is viewed, the outer edge 

 makes a rather bolder curve than the inner, the heels are wide and the 

 frog big and full, with its point perhaps slightly turned to one side from 

 hard thrusting on the ground. Both feet are alike in size and shape, any 

 deviation being rare, except as an index of disease. The hind feet are 

 not so round as the fore, they are more pointed at the toe, which is also 

 more upright, and they are narrower all over. On true made legs the 

 feet are placed quite straight and square when the animal is standing 

 naturally.C A hind foot is often rested, but a fore one never, except when 

 painful ; it is then stuck out in £taat of the other to relieve it of the body 

 weight (pointing).^ 



" Flat " feet are large in circumference, very sloping, with, as a rule, 

 low heels, flat soles which are sometimes thin, and a large, prominent 

 frog which alone saves them from rapid destruction. When such feet are 

 marked by " ridges " or " rings " of horn from unequal growth they are 

 sometimes called "oyster" feet. 



" Mule," " boxy," " narrow," or " club " feet are the opposite of '* flat," 

 and are characterised by smallness, uprightness of the wall, high heels 

 and little frogs. 



" Long," " fleshy " feet are those in which the toe is unduly long and 

 cannot be reduced to normal proportions without risk of injury 



" Weak heels " are those in which the rate of horn growth is very 

 slow ; a formation often found in flat feet. 



The thickness and rate of growth of horn varies within the widest 

 limits, in different animals. Some walls grow so rapidly that a consider- 

 able amount must be removed punctually every month, others scarcely 

 require touching. As the horn grows forwards at the same slope as the 

 toe, this part usually gets unduly long sooner than the heels, but in 

 exceptional cases the latter may show a quicker growth. The thickness 

 of soles may vary considerably, some being like a board and others 

 so thin that pressure with the thumb will "spring" them. 



The Preparation of the Foot. 



Farrier's Farrier's tools are classified as " shoeing tools," for preparing the foot 



tools. and nailing on the shoe ; and " Forge tools " for use at the fire and anvil 



in shoe " turning." 



