THE FORE-FEET. 67 



If the horse were allowed to arrive at matimty 

 before being shod, the shape of his foot would proba- 

 bly, to a certain extent, depend upon the way in which 

 he was reared. If he were kept constantly roaming 

 over damp, marshy land, the moisture would encourage 

 the spreading, or circular form. This would be well 

 suited for the circumstances in which he was placed ; 

 and nature would be sure to accommodate itself accord- 

 ingly. A broad, round, soft foot is all that a horse in 

 such a place could require. The case is entirely altered, 

 however, with the horse which has been reared on an 

 arid soil. There is so little moisture in the ground, 

 that the foot has no tendency to spread, or get soft. 

 It w^U be hard, firm, and more or less elongated. 

 This is the right tear-and-wear sort of foot for road- 

 work. The dnTiess of the road will not do it much 

 injury, because it has never been accustomed to an 

 excess of moisture. 



See that the external surface of the hoof is smooth 

 all over, as depressions and elevations lead to the sup- 

 position that the walls have sunk in consequence of in- 

 ternal disease. For the same reason, ring-like protu- 

 berances must be looked upon with a certain degree of 

 suspicion. The crust must be smooth and tough-look- 

 ing. A brittle hoof is a great drawback, as it will 

 be very likely to get split by the nails ; and the slightest 

 strain upon the shoe will not only leave the horse bare- 

 footed for the time being, but also deprive him of 



