ADVICE TO BUYERS. 51 



some defect ; the bottom of the foot is theu to be examiued, 

 aud if the heels are much contracted, the frog imperfect, 

 aud matter issuing from its cleft or division, it is probable 

 that the horse will soon become lame. I would not advise 

 that a horse be rejected merely because the feet have be- 

 come rather narrow at the heels, or a little smaller than 

 they were originally, unless eustgs or grooves are found 

 around the foot near to the coronet ; in such a case, you 

 might suspect that the horse has been attacked with in- 

 flammation of the foot, and the disease might return on one 

 or two days' hard work. 



If no diflerence can be perceived in the size of the feet, 

 if the frogs appear sound and free from thrushes, aud par- 

 ticularly if, at the same time, the horse step boldly and 

 firmly when trotted on rough ground, and down a hill, I 

 think he may be safely purchased, if free from all other de- 

 fects. 



The next point to be attended to is the form of the sole 

 or bottom of the foot, which is, in its natural state, rather 

 hollow or concave : we sometimes, however, find it quite 

 flat, or even convex ; in either case it is proportionally thin, 

 and unfit for the ofiBce it seems to be designed for, that is, 

 to protect the sensible or fleshy sole which it covers. The 

 flat sole, however, is by no means so serious a defect as the 

 convex, and, if the horse is carefully shod, seldom occasions 

 lameness ; but when the sole is in any degree convex, or 

 projecting, it is extremely thin, and incapable of bearing 

 much pressure. A horse with this defect will sometimes 

 step firmly, when the sole is protected by a wide, hollow 

 shoe ; but he is continually liable to become lame by gravel 

 under the sole. We generally find, on this kind of foot, 

 that the front of the hoof, or wall, has lost its natural form, 

 having become flatter; it is thinner and more brittle than 



