THE HOOF, SOLE, ETC. 321 



to them that to pull off the hoof in a fresh state is almost 

 impossible. 



The beauty of this structure when fresh, both in form 

 and colour, is beyond description, and the illustration, 

 which is little more than a diagram, so as not to confuse 

 the eye with detail, can only represent it as a builder's 

 plan represents a house. 



A fair idea of it may be obtained by taking two closed 

 fans, one of scarlet and the other of brown paper. Open 

 them just sufficiently to allow the leaves to interlace, 

 then close them tightly and make a transverse section of 

 them. They will then be seen to give a good idea of 

 this portion of the hoof, the scarlet representing the vas- 

 cular and the brown the horny laminae. 



This description, however imperfect, will show the 

 reader something of the structures which the untouched 

 hoof protects. The farrier, however, knows absolutely 

 nothing of all these complex mechanisms within the 

 outer hoof. He looks upon the hoof simply as a solid 

 lump of horn without feeling, and so he cuts and carves 

 it to suit the ready-made shoe. 



The illustration of a hoof which has passed through 

 the farrier's hands is drawn from a specimen now before 

 me, taken at random from a number of others. The 

 man has cut away the frog because he thinks that the 

 animal will be injured if the frog touches the ground. He 

 has then cut a deep groove at the base of the frog. This 

 is to give a " well-opened heel," as he is pleased to call it. 



He has scooped away the sole to "give it spring." 



Y 



