62 THE HORSE. 



By what means are we to form an acciu'ate estimate 

 of the qualities and condition of the feet ? Simply by 

 inspection. If the examination is made with care, we 

 will seldom be mistaken. 



The feet should always bear a neat proportion to 

 the size and weight of the animal they are destined to 

 caiTy. It is just as bad to be too large as too small. 

 A very large foot, such as we frequently see in the 

 draught-horse, is particularly liable to descent of the 

 sole, which is a most serious affair ; and a very small 

 one, such as we often find in the blood-horse, is 

 predisposed to contraction, which is by no means desir- 

 able. Here, as in many other cases, the medium size 

 is the best. 



I do not pretend to be able to settle the point as to 

 whether or not contraction alone may ever be able to 

 produce inflammation and lameness in the foot. To 

 do this would requu-e a gi-eat deal more knowledge 

 than I possess. Moreover, I do not think it is capable 

 of being satisfactorily settled by any other person. To 

 those who are conversant with the natm'e of the parts 

 concerned, it must appear very difficult, if not impos- 

 sible, to determine, with perfect accuracy in every 

 case, the exact point at which disease may commence. 

 No doubt, in most instances, contraction is the result of 

 internal inflammation ; but I think it is going too far 

 to assert, that it never can become the cause of the 

 internal disease. 



