CHAHACIERISTICS OF THE HOOF. 



567 



VARIOUS FORMS OF HOOrS. 



As amone a thousand human facos no two are alike, so amonfj; an 

 equal ninnber of horses no two have hoofs exactly alike. A little 

 study of different forms soon shows us, however, that the form of 

 every hoof is dependent in great measure on the direction of the two 

 pastern bones as viewed from in front or l)ehind, or from one side; 

 and that all hoofs fall into three classes when we view them from in 

 front and tliree classes when we observe them in profile. Inasmuch 

 as the form of every foot determines the peculiarities of the shoe that 

 is best adapted to it, no one who is ignorant of, or who disregards 

 the natural form of, a hoof can hope to understand phyisiok)gical 

 shoeing. 



FORMS OF FEET VIEWED FROM IN FROKT AND IN PKOFII>E. 



"\Miether a horse's feet be observed from in front or from behind, 

 their form corresi)onds to, or at least resembles, either that of the 

 regular position (fig. 2), the 

 l)ase-wide or toe-wide position 

 (fig. 3), or the base-narrow po- 

 sition (fig. 4). 



By the direction of the im- 

 aginary line passing through 

 the long axes of the two pas- 

 terns (figs. 2, 4, 5) we deter- cS 

 mine wliether or not the hoof "^^ 

 and pasterns stand in proper 



mutual relation. ^^°- 2— rair of fore feot of regular form in rcpulur 



staiulinjr position. 



In the regvlar standing posi- 

 tion (fig. 2) the foot-axis runs straight downward and forward; in 

 the base-wide position (fig. 3) it runs obliquely downward and out- 

 ward, and in the base-narrow 

 position (fig. 4) it runs ob- 

 licpiely downward and inward. 

 Viewing the foot in jjrolile. 

 we distinguish the regular jx)- 

 > ^ition (fig. rt/>) and designate 



all forward deviations as «ci</'^'- 

 . aiu/hd (long toe and low heel, 

 ^ ^^.A^^3_- fjrr. :^(|)^ and all deviations 



— -^:^'~- --^--— - "■ backward from the regular 



Fir;.3.— Pair of fore feet of base-widi-fonn In toe-wide ^stecp toC aud high heel, fig. 



stundin,'i.oMtion. ^^_^ ^^ stccp-toed, or sfump]/. 



AVhen the body weight i:^ evenly distriiuited over all four limbs, the 

 foot-axis should be straight ; the long pastern, short pastern, and wall 

 at the toe should have the sauK* slant. 



