HOW TO BUY A^D SELL. 23 



tainty. It is for this reason no one lias a horse more 

 than eight years old for sale! 



CONTRACTED FEET. 



Having already considered the general formation of 

 the feet, we now take up the near fore one, to see 

 whether it is in any way diseased, or whether there are 

 symptoms of its having formerly been so. 



To describe what should be the width of heel, and 

 other peculiarities which form a perfect foot for each 

 horse, would be indeed superfluous; such knowledge can 

 be acquired only by study and practice. To point out 

 the result of each defect when ascertained, so that the 

 initiated may judge for themselves, is all that can be at- 

 tempted. The thorough horesman is the only one who 

 will appreciate more elaborate description. This asser- 

 tion may perhaps appear over-confident; but, if blame 

 attach to it, I hope those who have urged me on will 

 lighten the burden. Thorough horsemen are compara- 

 tively few, but the incompetent are numerous. This 

 work, it is to be hoped, will be the means of adding to 

 the former by decreasing the latter. 



It is a matter of dispute whether contraction of the 

 foot renders the horse unsound or not. All will agree, 

 where the climate is exceedingly hot and the horse goes 

 sound, that this is a much better wearing foot, and more 

 likely to keep free from lameness than the expanded soft 

 hoof, which, from being wide, and predisposed in the sole 

 to concavity, is, par excellence, pronounced sound; yet, 

 in fact, while the narrow foot will stand equally well on 

 wet, and on hard dry soil, on the latter the wide-spread 

 flat foot will quickly give way on account of its proneness 

 +o injury from its softness. 



