76 



activity of the horse, the elasticity of the foot is 

 more perfect, and therefore more easily deranged 

 by careless shoeing, and neglect of the principles 

 that I have just noticed. 



The best way of judging whether there is any 

 malformation of the feet, either natural, or in 

 consequence of disease, is to front the horse, and 

 compare the two feet together. Any difference 

 of size or shape is thus easily detected ; and if that 

 difference is so great as to be readily apparent to 

 the eye, there is little doubt that disease exists 

 or has existed. Where the eye cannot at once 

 detect it, it is best to take up a straw, and ascer- 

 tain by actual measurement across the heels, 

 whether the feet correspond. 



The fore feet are rather larger in a well-formed 

 horse than the hind feet. If a purchaser is very 

 particular, this circumstance may assist his obser- 

 vation; should he find a material difference in 

 size, the hind feet being the largest, he may safely 

 infer that the animal is unsound, or likely to become 

 so, from malformation. 



The purchaser should carefully notice any crack 

 in the hoof; a fissure descending from the coronet 

 towards the toes, is always a serious defect, and 

 generally produces lameness. Any cracks imply 

 a brittle and dry hoof, and, of course, a tendency 





