184 THE FOOT IN ITS RELATION TO THE ENTIRE LIMB. 



wards, and again outwards (fig. 171) in a circular direction, 

 the outer wall of the toe coming first in contact with the 

 ground and sustaining the greatest part of the impact. The 

 toe here points either directly forwards or outwards. In 

 the in-turned toe form things are reversed, the hoof being 

 carried forwards, outwards, and again inwards (fig. 172). 

 The manner in which the hoofs are moved is shown semi- 

 schematically in figs. 170, 171, and 17li. No absolute rule 

 can, of course, be laid down and many deviations occur, re- 

 sulting partly from peculiarities in direction of individual bones 

 and consequent irregularities in movement, from pace, that 

 is, whether the horse walk or trot, from the way in which 

 the animal's weight is distributed between his fore and hind 

 limbs, and from the position and amount of the load which the 

 horse either draws or carries. The four feet of any one horse 

 seldom correspond exactly in direction; one pair may point 

 outwards, the other inwards, the hoofs being correspondingly 

 advanced. Sometimes a defect in one part of the limb 

 counterbalances a defect in another, so that, although close 

 attention will enable us to classify the conformation and 

 action with which we have to deal, yet judging of gait will 

 always be a matter of difficulty for beginners and for the 

 unskilled. 



Deviations from normal conformation are always a draw- 

 back to the performance of work. When strongly pronounced, 

 and especially when two or more defects occur in one limb, 

 they greatly predispose to striking, cutting, and to disease of 

 joints and of the foot. 



The course followed by the hoof when viewed from one side 

 (figs. 173, 174, and 175) is of less importance to the farrier. 

 In normally formed limbs it is regular (fig. 173). When the 

 fetlock is very oblique, however, the hoof at first traces a 

 sharp curve, which soon becomes more flattened and is pro- 

 longed forwards before meeting the earth (fig. 174). In the 

 case of upright fetlocks the lifting and advancing of the hoof is 

 performed in precisely reversed order. The shock to the foot 

 and limb is evidently least in the style of movement shown by 

 fig. 174 and greatest in that shown by fig. 175. As every 

 rider knows, the pace in the former case is easy, in the latter 

 rough and unpleasant. 



