SHOEING. 



637 



The strain comes perpendicularly from the shoulder to the fet- 

 lock, and thence to the ground as it passes along to the pastern 

 and foot. These are inclined more or less obliquely forward ; con- 

 sequently, the strain or weight imposed upon the limb has a con- 

 stant tendency to be in- 

 creased by the length of 

 the foot and its obliquity. 

 To prevent this, there are 

 two strong tendons, perf o- 

 ratus and perforans (see 

 cuts 369, 370), which sup- 

 port the ankle and main- 

 tain its natural angle. 



It is evident that the 

 longer and less upright the 

 lever, the greater must be 

 the strain upon these back 

 tendons. If the degree of 

 obliquity is made greater 

 than is intended by nature 

 (which is caused by allow- 

 ing the toe and foot to 

 grow unnaturally long), 

 this result will follow. To 

 prevent this, at stated in- 

 tervals the shoe must be 

 taken off, and the foot cut down to its natural size and adjust- 

 ment. On the other hand, if the toe is made too short and the 

 heel is raised, the front or flexor tendons will be subjected to in- 

 creased strain, and equally liable to produce serious harm. 



A popular writer says : "A shortened point of hoof, with or 

 without wrong interference of the heels, alters the degree of 

 obliquity of the whole limb, and diminishes the power and possible 

 rate of speed of an animal, from the instant such a state of things 

 is beg'un. One of the first signs of this occurrence in a young 

 horse of high cast, is a swelling of the back sinews below the knees, 

 and it is that enlargement which attracts attention, and not the 

 foot." I give here a variety of illustrations showing the different 

 degrees of obliquity, and length from the fetlock to the toe. Fig. 



FIG. 438. View of foot from which the hoof 

 was removed by maceration. 



