CHAP. I.] PIGEON-TOED AND KNOCKED-KNEED. 41 



shoeing to amend this fault, by paring away the 

 inner crust ; but it is one of those defects in the 

 built which no art can eradicate completely, and 

 has been termed " pigeon-toed." A temporary 

 remedy, however, is found in shifting the shoes so 

 worn away, as well as making the shoes thickest on 

 the wearing quarter. 



Nor is the matter rendered any better when, by 

 reason of the knees or houghs turning in, the toes 

 turn out, and the horse then treads on the inner quar- 

 ter [see fig. 6.] ; and, however those of the one or the 

 other description may have the reputation of great 

 speed, it can be for a short distance only, because 

 the action of such horses must be laboured and im- 

 perfect, particularly one of the latter kind of make. 

 He must, consequently, fatigue himself more at 

 every step, and tire sooner than one of the same 

 size, and formed in every other respect similar, 

 but having legs that come nearer in shape to 

 those in the annexed sketch [fig. 3]. That such 

 knock-knee form is occasioned by weakness, is 

 evident from the position of the knees, when the 

 animal stands at rest. This he does by supporting 

 himself at times like a dancing-master, with one 

 foot before the other ; and, no doubt, the twist 

 with which his pace is always attended when going, 

 occasions certain disorders of the feet, which he 

 seeks to ease by shifting the weight now from the 

 one, now from the other foot. He will, moreover, 

 sooner " knock up," and " get done for" earlier in 

 life, by reason of the origin of this species of mai- 



7 



