112 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 







sole wider than the inner. The weight falls largely into the inner 

 half of the hoof. In motion the hoof is moved in a circle. From its 

 position on the ground it breaks over the inner toe, is carried for- 

 ward and inward close to the supporting leg, thence forward and 

 outward to the ground, which the hoof meets first with the outer toe. 

 Horses that are toe- wide (splay-footed toes turned outward) show 

 all these peculiarities of hoof-form and hoof-flight to a still more 

 marked degree and are therefore more prone to interfere when in 

 motion. 



A Hoof of the Base-Narrow Position. This also is awry, but 

 not to so marked a degree as the base-wide hoof. The inner wall is 

 usually a little more slanting than the outer, the inner half of the 

 sole wider than the outer, and the inner quarter more curved than 

 the outer. The outer quarter is often flattened and drawn in at the 

 bottom. The weight falls largely into the outer half of the hoof. In 

 motion the hoof breaks over the outer toe, is carried forward and 

 outward at some distance from the supporting leg, thence forward 

 and inward to the ground, which it generally meets with the outer 

 toe. The foot thus moves in a circle whose convexity is outward, 

 a manner of flight called paddling. A base-narrow horse whose toes 

 point straight ahead frequently interferes, while a toe-narrow (pig- 

 eon-toed) animal seldom does. 



Regular Hoof. A regular hoof, viewed from one side, has a 

 straight foot-axis inclined to the horizon at an angle of 45 to 50. 

 The weight falls near the center of the foot and there is moderate 

 expansion of the quarters. 



Acute-angled Hoof. An acute-angled hoof has a straight foot- 

 axis inclined at an angle less than 45 to the horizon. The weight 

 falls more largely in the back half of the hoof and there is greater 

 length of hoof in contact with the ground and greater expansion of 

 the heels than in the regular hoof. 



Upright, or Stumpy, Hoof. In the upright, or stumpy, hoof 

 the foot-axis is straight and more than 55 steep. The hoof is rela- 

 tively short from toe to heel, the weight falls farther forward, and 

 there is less expansion of the heels than in the regular hoof. 



Wide and Narrow Hoofs. Finally, there are wide hoofs and 

 narrow hoofs, dependent solely upon race and breeding. The wide 

 hoof is almost circular on the ground surface, the sole but little con- 

 cave, the frog large, and the quality of the horn coarse. The nar- 

 row hoof has a strongly cupped sole, a small frog, nearly perpendicu- 

 lar side walls, and fine-grained, tough horn. 



Hind Hoofs. Hind hoofs are influenced in shape by different 

 directions of their pasterns much as front feet are. A hind hoof is 

 not round at the toe as a front hoof is, but is more pointed. Its 

 greatest width is two-thirds of the way back from toe to heel, the 

 sole is more concave, the heels relatively wider, and the toe about 10 

 steeper than in front hoofs. 



The Shoe. The object of the examination is to ascertain the 

 direction and position of the limbs, the shape, character, and qual- 



