CHAEACTERISTICS OF THE HOOF. 



573 



VARIOUS FORMS OF HOOFS. 



As among a thousand human faces no two are alike, so among an 

 equal number 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 behind, or from one side; 

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

 front and three 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 physiological 

 shoeing, 



FORMS OF FEET VIEWED FROM IN FRONT AND IN PROFILE. 



Whether a horse's feet be observed from in front or from behind, 

 their form corresponds to, or at least resembles, either that of the 

 regular position (fig. 2), the 

 hase-ivide or toe-wide position 

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

 sition (fig. 4). 



By the direction of the im- 

 aginar}' line passing through 

 the long axes of the two pas- 

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

 mine whether or not the hoof 

 and pasterns stand in proper 

 mutual relation. 



In the regular 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- 

 liquely downward and inward. 

 Viewing the foot in profile, 

 we distinguish the regular po- 

 sition (fig. 5Z>) and designate 

 all forward deviations as acute- 

 angled (long toe and low heel, 

 fig. 5a), and all deviations 

 backward from the regular 

 (steep toe and high heel, fig. 

 be) as steep-toed, or stumpy. 

 "V^-Tien the body weight is evenly distributed over all four limbs, the 

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

 at the toe should have the same slant. 



2.— Pair of fore feet of regular form in regular 

 standing position. 



-Pair of fore feet of base- wide form in toe-wide 

 standing position. 



