122 THE HACKNEY. 



the Prophet Isaiah set forth the strength and ex- 

 cellence of the Babylonish cavalry, " whose hoofs," 

 says he, " shall be counted as flints." Both Homer 

 and Virgil mention it as an indispensable requisite 

 in a good horse, the latter making it to resound as 

 it strikes the ground, 



" Et solido graviter sonat ungula cornu," 



We are not going here to enter on a long discus- 

 sion upon the foot, but only to observe, that the 

 wide hoof and expanded heel of the hunter is not 

 so essential to the road-horse as many persons sup- 

 pose. Indeed, the hoof that has been found to 

 stand se'cere road-work best, is one rather high at 

 the heel, and not very wide, provided the pastern 

 above do not approach too near the perpendicular ; 

 forming what is called " an upright pastern," 

 which, by the jar the foot receives from it, when it 

 comes to the ground, is nearly certain to produce 

 disease. The strong foot, however, of which we 

 are speaking, is one that requires care, by being 

 frequently drawn out with the knife, to prevent its 

 becoming too strong ; and by giving moderate pres- 

 sure to the frogs, to prevent the heels getting nearer 

 together than we find them, and they already ap- 

 proximate to contraction in a foot of this descrip- 

 tion. The just form of the hoof in front, upon 

 which mainly depends its form underneath, is said 

 by Clarke to be at an elevation from the ground of 

 thirty-three degrees,* and we are inclined to think, 



* White says forty-five. 



