104 THE HORSE 



up the space or by the shoeing. Hence the necessity for 

 removing the fore shoes before purchase. In addition to 

 the foregoing there are other foot troubles associated 

 with bad feet, and the unwary purchaser may easily be 

 led astray through the existence of these defects. 



The indifferent foot is one which combines some of the 

 essentials of a good foot with those of a bad one. Thus, 

 for instance, the wall of the sole may be excellent in its 

 construction, but the footpad may be contracted or 

 actually the seat of disease. In exceptional instances 

 the feet are odd in point of size, but not necessarily 

 structurally defective. If the wall or the sole are too 

 thin it renders the foot much more liable to injury, 

 although a foot of this description could hardly be 

 classified as bad. 



In order that the amateur may appreciate, or rather, 

 we should say, be capable of more clearly comprehending 

 the various features of the feet in health and disease, it is 

 expedient to give a resume of the anatomical construc- 

 tion of the foot, and follow this up with a brief description 

 of the various pathological conditions associated with the 

 structures now under consideration. 



Structure of the Foot 



The foot consists of the wall, and this is divisible into 

 the toe, the quarters, and the heels, and it is formed of a 

 number of horny tubes united together by a cementing 

 substance. These horn fibres correspond to hair. The 

 wall has an upper and a lower border ; the former is 

 encircled by a prominent band — the coronary band — 

 and it is from this band that the horn fibres are secreted ; 

 consequently any injury to the coronet or coronary band 

 may lead to some permanent defect in the wall of the 

 hoof. The horn fibres are really secreted by papillae on 

 the surface of the coronary band. For the purpose of 

 study, the fact is regarded as comprising sensitive and 



