THE BARS OF THE FOOT. 



77 



the heels it gradually diaiinishes, and more markedly in fore 

 than in hind feet, the exact rate, however, depending on the 

 size and form of the hoof and the breed of the animal. The 

 larger and the more oblique the hoof the thicker its walls ; 

 the more nearly vertical the wall the less its thickness. Coarse - 

 bred horses, as a rule, have thicker walls than finer breeds. 

 According to Mayer, careful measurements gave the following 

 results, which are indicated in millimetres : — 



These figures, which in general agree with many measure- 

 ments made by Leisering, show that the toe of the fore-foot is, 

 in general, a thicker toe than that of the hind in the same 

 horse. Vertical 



sections, however, 

 show that the 

 thickness of the 

 wall at any given 

 point is the same 

 from coronet to 

 Lrround surface. 



The angle of the 



bars (fi'^'S 45 and fig. 47.— Mesial vertical section of hoof with horny frog re- 



^ ° ' moved, to show the disposition of the bars. At a, b the wall 



46 ci) is as stated is reflected inwards and forwards to form the bar which finally 



' ^ ' ' amalgamates with and is lost in the sole at «; a, a' (the lighter 



the point where tinted part) shows the spot from which the horny frog has 



^ been removed. 



each half of the 



wall is reflected in a forward direction. As the wall and bar 



