EXAMINATION FOR PURCHASE. 269 



and in most cases may be regarded as mere indicatluns of 



hard work. 



The pasterx is the seat of a bony tumour termed ring- 

 bone ; it is the result of inflammation and partial conversion 

 into bone of that portion of the cartilages of the foot which 

 rise above and nearly encircle the coronet. These cartil- 

 ages, extending backward considerably beyond the coffin 

 bone, form the elastic frame of the posterior parts of the 

 foot ; they here take on the name of the lateral cartilages. 

 When ')nce ossified inflammation is set up in this part, from 

 its tend ;ncy to spread around the pastern joint, it has taken 

 its name of ring-bone. When, however, the ossification 

 appea/ 1 only at the quarters, it is termed ossification of tht 

 lateral cartilages, or side bones. It is discovered by their 

 prom-iency and their rigidity, when pressed between the 

 finge- and thumb. Upon the integrity of these parts de- 

 pend the elasticity and consequent usefulness of the foot. 

 Hov- 9ver trifling the apparent alteration of structure, it is 

 a serious detraction from the efficiency of a hack; though, 

 on s'ift ground, at a slow pace, the draught horse will work 

 app*'.rently sound. 



V^e now arrive at the foot, the foundation of the horse, 

 and too much attention cannot be paid to it. If it is imper- 

 fect, all other perfections are valueless. The best way of 

 judgingwhether there is any mal -formation of the feet, eith- 

 er natural or the result of disease, is to front the horse, and 

 compare the two feet together; small feet are objection- 

 able ; and so a very large foot, that is disportionate to his 

 size, is to be avoided. 



Its wall should be round, smooth, level, and of a shin- 

 ing dark colour ; full in front, of a proper obliquity, and 

 free from ribs or seams, and perfectly cool. Its proper ob- 

 liquity ought to be at an angle of forty-five degrees with 

 the plane of the shoe. If the angle is materially less, the 

 sole is flat, or perhaps convex ; if the angle exceeds it, the 

 foot is contracted. 



When the outward line or profile of the hoof is inegul ir. 

 it marks what is called a '' shelly foot." This is decidedly 

 bad. If there are any protuberances or rings round it, 

 they indicate that the feet have been affected with fever to 

 such a degree as to produce unequal growth of horn; which 

 frequently leaver some injurious conseriuences in the inter- 

 23* 19 



