178 



THE FOOT IN ITS RELATION TO THE ENTIRE LIMB. 



the fetlock joint and more or less pronounced spasmodic jerk- 

 ing of the fetlock (knuckling over) in certain phases of move- 

 ment. It is quite possible for each of the two fore or two 



Fig. 156.— Excessively curved hocks. 

 Limbs too far under the body. 



Fig. 157.— Entire liind-limb placed 

 too far back. 



hind limbs to take different directions. It is commonest for 

 one pair, for instance the front, to be turned out, the other 

 pair, the hind, to be turned in, or vice versa. Other slight 

 differences occur, but are not of great importance to the farrier. 



2. General Conformation of the Feet, when viewed 

 FROM in Front, Behind, and the Side. 



In a state of nature the hoof always corresponds, and is 

 suited, to the formation of the limb to which it belongs, but 

 immediately a shoe is applied, the horn ceases to wear, and 

 instead of the formation of the limb determining that of the 

 hoof, exactly the opposite may occur. This can be demonstrated 

 experimentally. Given an animal of normal conformation, a 

 perpendicular line is traced on the leg from the knee to the 

 earth. If, now, the inside of the hoof be much lowered, the 

 erstwhile straight line will be seen to form an angle outwards 

 at the coronet, while if the outer quarter be cut away, precisely 

 the opposite occurs. At the same time, the limbs will be seen 



