256 STRUCTURE OF THE FOOT. 



bars away altogether. This practice was by the Vete- 

 rinary Surgeons of the old school denounced as the 

 height of barbarism. The cruelty of, and the lament- 

 able consequences which were sure to follow such an 

 act, were alike pathetically dwelt upon. However, it 

 occurred to some modern practitioners to try the evil 

 which their fathers had declaimed against : and those 

 who made the trial have been so much pleased with 

 the result, that they now pare out the foot without 

 paying the slightest attention to the bars. 



The heels turning inward, would leave a consider- 

 able chasm, were it not for a wedge-shaped horny 

 substance called the frog. Its office is to afford pro- 

 tection to a tendon above; on which the navicular 

 bone rests — also by its shape, and its point projecting 

 forward, to give a degree of security to the tread of 

 the horse ; and by its elasticity to give spring to the 

 movements of the animal. 



The sole covers the larger part of the base of the foot. 



Within the hoof is the pedal-bone, or principal bone 

 of the foot. It is fitted into the fore-part of the crust ; 

 and occupies rather more than half of the entire space 

 within the hoof. A small portion of the lower pas- 

 tern-bone is also found within the horny box ; which, 

 resting upon the bone of the foot, helps to constitute 

 the coffin-joint. Interposed between the coffin-bone 

 and the outer crust is a substance, adhering firmly to 

 the coffin-bone as well as to the cartilages, and termi- 

 nating in numerous little plates. These plates, before 

 alluded to, secrete and consequently firmly adhere to, 

 and are continuous with, the horny plates of the 

 crust. The weight of the horse is chiefly thrown upon 



