466 



THE HORSE. 



Figure 6. 



become ledges for stiff ground to cling to and pull the shoe off. 

 More shoes are lost through these mischievous projections at the 

 heels than from all other causes put together. 



Let us see how it is that tliese projecting heels interfere with 

 the horse's action. It is not necessary 

 for this jDurpose to trouble yon with 

 the anatomy of the foot, but merely to 

 state that all its parts are joined to each 

 other in such a manner as to form one 

 great spring, and that the foot is joined 

 to the leg by the pastern and coronet 

 bones in a direction slanting forward, 

 which brings the foot a little in advance 

 of the leg, and places the heels in front 

 of a line dropped from the centre of 

 the fetlock joined to the ground. 



Figure 6. — 1. The shank or canon 

 bone. 2. The pastern bone. 3. The 

 coronet bone. 4. The sessamoid bone. 

 A. The point where the weight of the 

 horse would fall upon the upper end of the pastern bone. B. 

 Tlie point where a line dropped from A would meet the ground. 

 C. The heel of the hoof. 



Now, it is clear that tlie weight of the horse will fall upon 

 the upper end of this slanting pastern bone at every step ; and 

 the bone, having a joint at each end of it, will sink to the 

 weight thus thrown upon, it and break the force of the shock 

 botli to the leg and foot ; but if the heels of the shoe are longer 

 than the heels of the hoof, the projecting pieces of iron wall 

 meet the ground farther back than the natural heels would have 

 done, and will check the sinking of the pastern bone, just as an 

 upright pastern does, by bringing the heels too much under the 

 centre of the weight, which causes the horse to step short and 

 go stumpy. 



If you wish to avoid these evils and keep the horse's shoes 

 on his feet, you must bring in the heels, and let the shoe strictly 

 follow the form of the foot, whatever that form may be. 



The part of the foot that needs protection from injury, more 

 than any other, is the " navicular joint," which rests upon the 



