THE FOOT. 253 



bones, and the stronger the ligaments, the more they may slope, 

 and the more they will require to slope, to avoid extreme 

 concussion. 



FOOT. 



606. — Below all these springs nature has yet provided 

 another important buffer, in the elastic frog and foot, which 

 rarely fail to preserve all the rest, when not destroyed by bad 

 shoeing. Of these we have treated fully in the Chapter on 

 Shoeing. 



607. — The direction in which the foot meets the ground, 

 is a matter of great importance in the selection of a horse. If 

 the foot is thrown well forward, and the heel comes first to the 

 ground, he will not be likely to stumble or fall. If the toe comes 

 first he must stumble, and is never safe. The sloping shoulder 

 and the muscular arm will tell you what the horse will probal)ly 

 do in the way of safe action, but the forward, well placed foot 

 tells you what he actually does do, and gives you an unanswerable 

 proof that the muscles above cannot be far wrong. 



608. — Cutting, brushing, or striking one leg with the foot 

 of the other is a consequence of some defective 'formation. It is 

 a troublesome and unsightly defect in a horse, more often seen, 

 and more tolerated in the hind than in the fore legs. It can 

 often be prevented by shoeing with tips only, but in a few cases 

 it is necessary to protect with leather in some shape. In avoiding 

 this defect, don't choose a horse that goes to the other extreme. 

 Cutting horses are often very pleasant, straight goers, much 

 more so than horses whose legs are set too wide apart. As they 

 do not change the centre of gravity with every step, they are not 

 obliged to roll from side to side to preserve their balance as a 

 wide stepping man or horse must always do. 



The straddling gait of the American trotters, to enable the 

 hind legs to pass the fore ones, may be necessary for a racing 

 trot, but is not necessary for any useful pace, and is a weakness 

 and deformity. 



HIND LEGS. 



609. — Nearly all that wo have said about the fore leg applies 



