CH. I.] ACQUIRED. BRITTLE AND SOFT HOOF. 441 



and hoofs, produced in certain situations, climates, 

 or countries, as we hear them denominated, each of 

 which requires some peculiar contrivance or adap- 

 tation. Thus, horses bred in swampy situations, 

 have long flabby limbs and large flat hoofs, to say 

 nothing more of their long washy carcasses, that 

 predispose them to contract certain ills that fall 

 into the foot, which come shortly to be enumerated. 

 All those " countries" where ague prevails among 

 mankind are unfit for breeding good horses, as is 

 proved by the thick spongy heel and soft hoof. 

 Brittle hoof is produced by a hot, sandy breeding 

 countr?/, which affects the heat and dryness of the 

 animal's constitution. But, to whichever extreme 

 the individual belongs that may come under consi- 

 deration, mis-shapen hoof is visible from the earliest 

 years. This increases as the animal is worked, and 

 disease of one description or another follows, which 

 requires the care of the shoeing-smith to modify, or 

 of the doctor to cure. 



In the anatomical treatise that occupies the first 

 chapter in this volume, the reader will observe (at 

 page 44) how strenuously we insisted on the proper 

 shape or elevation of the hoof; and he will not 

 overlook the great service our shoeing-smith, or 

 ferrier proper, may derive from duly considering 

 this shape and external form, and of adapting his 

 shoe to each deviation from the true form. For 

 that attendant upon and assistant to nature, who is 

 neglectful of her deviations, or ignorant of the 

 causes which produce them, is ill calculated for his 



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