234 THE PERFECT HORSE. 



wall ; 2. The sole ; 3. The frog ; 4. The bars. The use 

 of the wall is evidently to defend the internal parts of 

 the foot, and furnish a support for the body. The sole 

 has a twofold division, composed of the outer or non- 

 sensitive sole, — the design of which is to protect the 

 ground-surface of the foot from contusion, and assist the 

 wall in sustaining the superincumbent weight, — and 

 the sensitive sole, the use of which is to assist the horse, 

 by the sense of touch, in placing his foot to the ground in 

 such a way as to favor it, and to feed the outer sole 

 with the material of which it is made. 



The sense of touch to which I have alluded is a most 

 essential power to the horse ; for it enables him, in the 

 very act and instant of placing his foot to the ground, to 

 do just what all boys do when running with bare feet, — 

 viz., favor that side or section of the foot upon which, 

 by reason of inequality of the ground, undue pressure is 

 brought. It is not by his eyes that a boy saves his feet 

 from contusion : there is a power located in his foot, a 

 power of interpreting danger before it has become 

 dangerous, by which, although his foot has actually 

 struck the ground, he is nevertheless able to throw the 

 weight off from that section of the foot which is being 

 unduly exposed. A horse, in one sense, does literally /ee/ 

 his way along. The weight of his body is thrown upon 

 this side of his foot or that, this end or that, just as he 

 feels the necessity of it ; and this lightning-like adjust- 

 ment of his weight, according to the feeling of his foot, 

 is caused by the action of a sense so quick, that it is done 



