92 THE HORSE 



heels to become high. This pernicious practice origi- 

 nated among the owners of trotters who thought, per- 

 haps rightly, that the long toe tended to lengthen the 

 stride of the horse. However this may be, it is cer- 

 tain that the long toe and the high heel are unnatural, 

 for in a state of nature the hoof wears off continually; 

 and it is equally certain that they alter the natural 

 relation or angle between the leg and the foot. " Long 

 toes," said Gilbert Tompkins, " are tendon-smashers." 

 And the high heel is equally bad. 



Many horse-owners and horse-shoers treat the foot 

 as if it were wholly separate from the leg. In fact, 

 however, as the reader doubtless knows, the bony 

 structure of the leg extends down through the ankle 

 and pastern into the hoof itself, ending in vv^hat is called 

 the foot-bone — the flooring, as it were, of the horse. 

 This foot-bone has in general the outline of the hoof, 

 is from one-half to two-thirds of its width, and is con- 

 nected with the outer horn-box or jacket by layers of 

 sensitive tissue. Now, if the toe is too long or the 

 heels are too high, or too low, the whole bony structure 

 of the leg and foot is out of plumb, so to say, and pain 

 and unsoundness must result. All horses that wear 

 shoes need to have their toes shortened and their heels 

 raised or lowered from time to time so that their feet 

 will be in such balance that they will stand level and 

 true. 



Long toes or high heels are particularly bad for 

 colts. Says Dr. John Seiter: 



If colts won't trot without them they are of no use as racing 

 tools. They may show speed for a time, but, sooner or later, 



