15 



VARIOUS FORMS OF HOOFS. 



As among a thousand human faces no two are alike, so among an 

 equal number of horses no two have hoofs exactly alike. A little 

 study of different forms soon shows us, however, that the form of 

 every hoof is dependent in great measure on the direction of the two 

 pastern bones as viewed from in front or behind, or from one side; 

 and that all hoofs fall into three classes when we view them from in 

 front and three classes when we observe them in profile. Inasmuch 

 as the form of every foot determines the peculiarities of the shoe that 

 is best adapted to it, no one who is ignorant of, or who disregards 

 the natural form of, a hoof can hope to understand physiological 

 shoeing. 



THE FEET. 



FORMS OF FEET VIEWED FROM IN FRONT AND IN PROFILE. 



Whether a horse's feet be observed from in front or from behind, 

 their form corresponds to, or at least resembles, either that of the reg- 

 ular position (fig. 2), the base- 

 wide or toe-wide position (fig. 

 3), or the base-narrow or toe- 

 narrow position (fig. 4). 



By the direction of the imag- 

 inary line passing through the 

 long axes of the two pasterns 

 (figs. 2, 4, 5) we determine 

 whether or not the hoof and 

 pasterns stand in proper mu- 

 tual relation. 



In the regular standing posi- 

 tion (fig. 2) the foot-axis runs straight downward and forward; in the 

 base-wide position (fig. 3) it runs obliquely downward and outward, 



and in the base-narrow position 

 (fig. 4) it runs obliquely down- 

 ward and inward. 



Viewing the foot in profile, 

 we distinguish the regular posi- 

 tion (fig. 5b) and designate all 

 forward deviations as acute- 

 angled (long toe and low heel, 

 fig. 5«), and all deviations back- 

 ward from the regular (steep 

 toe and high heel, fig. 5c) as 

 steep-toed, or stumpy. When 

 the body- weight is evenly distributed over all four limbs, the foot-axis 

 should be straight; the long pastern, short pastern, and wall at the toe 

 should have the same slant. 



179 



Fig. 



-Pair of fore feet of regular form in regular 

 standing position. 



Fig. 3. — Pair of fore feet of base-wide form in toe-wide 

 standing position. 



