24 



Of other peculiarities of construction of the sole, I prefer to 

 give them in the words of an able disquisitionist upon the 

 equine foot, Professor Gamgee, Senr. 



THE HORNY SOLE— PECULIARITIES OF STRUCTURE. 



" The sole is thickest at, and is strongly connected anteriorly, 

 and in its two posterior terminations, where it is so strongly 

 inverted by the inflections of the wall, as to be incapable of 

 direct dislocation by any means, whilst the parts remain in 

 their integrity, viz., not cut away or weakened. The inflected 

 wall, which according to prevailing notions is called 'the bars,' 

 constitutes for all essential purposes an inner wall, a con- 

 tinuation of the outer wall ; these minor inflections have no 

 such abrupt terminations, as their outer appearance at first 

 sight indicates, or as seems to be the case by the laminated 

 attaching inner surface; the same inflected wall forms the 

 inner boundary of the two lateral divisions of the sole poste- 

 riorly, and it is by these that the strength of the sole is con- 

 tributed, and its arched form perfected." 



THE HORNY FROG AND ITS FUNCTIONS. 



The Horny Frog is triangular in shape, and occupies the 

 triangular cleft in the sole. Quoting from Fleming : " In the 

 middle of the posterior part is a cleft, which in the healthy 

 state should not be deep, but rather shallow and sound on its 

 surface. In structure, this body is also fibrous, the fibres pass- 

 ing in the same direction as those of the other portions of the 

 hoof; but instead of being quite rectilinear like them, they are 

 wavy or flexuous in their course, and present some micros- 

 copical peculiarities, which, though interesting to the compar- 

 ative anatomist, need not be alluded to here. The fibres are 

 finer than those of the sole and wall, and are composed of cells 

 arranged in the same manner as elsewhere in the hoof; they 

 are formed by the villi which thickly stud the face of the mem- 

 brane covering the sensitive frog." 



