46 



and denied even the poor relief, afforded by a change of 

 position. I little thought, while thus solely bent on minis- 

 termg to my horse's comfort, how essentially I was furthering 

 my own interest, until an accident brought me acquainted 

 with Mr. James Turner's invaluable Treatise on the Foot of 

 the Horse, Avhere I first learned, what subsequent experience 

 has fully confirmed to me, the wonderful extent to which 

 the usefulness of the horse is secured and prolonged by the 

 freedom of motion, obtained in a loose box. We have already 

 seen, how materially his usefulness is impaired by the 

 smallest injury to the navicular joint ; and we have also seen 

 the beautiful provision, nature has made for its protection 

 from injury in the elastic cushion, interposed between it and 

 the horny frog. It shall now be my endeavour to show, in 

 what manner a loose box tends to keep this cushion in a 

 healthy state of elasticity. 



Nature forms nothing in vain ; all her works are designed 

 for specific purposes ; each organ has its separate function 

 assigned to it ; and the only condition, upon which she will 

 consent to keep it in eflicient repair, is the regular and 

 periodical performance of that function. For instance suppose 

 an accident to deprive a man of the use of his arm for a 

 few months ; the muscles at the end of that period will be 

 found visibly shrunk, and the whole arm considerably smaller, 

 than its companion ; constituting in horseman's language 

 "a very bad match." Here the non-employment of the 

 muscles has accelerated the progress of absorption, while that 

 of restoration has been nearly suspended. The muscles of 

 tlie other arm on the contrary, being regulai-ly employed, 



