40 JUDGING HEAVY HORSES 



size. The features of the joints at both ends should be 

 clearly denned, showing that they are completely free from 

 puffiness, sidebones or other diseases or blemishes. 



It may be stated here that pasterns that are upright in 

 a mature horse generally become more so with age and the 

 action depreciates in proportion. Such a conformation 

 gives but slight command of the feet and the horse that 

 has it literally forces the feet into the ground or batters 

 them on the hard pavement of the city streets. 



69. Feet Large, Dense, Concave Sole, Large Frog. 



Diseases and defects of the foot are exceedingly prevalent 

 among heavy horses. As sound feet are rather the excep- 

 tion, and this is an important structure, considerable atten- 

 tion should be directed to it. The foot is made up of three 

 bones. These are covered by a highly sensitive secreting 

 layer. The external surface is made up of the wall, sole 

 and frog. In shape the proper foot is somewhat irregular 

 as the outer quarter running back to the sole curves consid- 

 erably outward, while the inner quarter is straighter. This 

 shape it will be easily seen not only gives a strong hold 

 upon the ground, but it also decreases the possibility of 

 the inner edge of the foot striking the opposite leg or inter- 

 fering. In color the foot should be dark and it should have 

 a waxy appearance. The angle formed by the hoof from 

 the ground to the top should be about fifty degrees. One 

 of the parts to be examined most critically is the frog. This 

 should be plump, large and elastic. Just above the frog is 

 what is known as the sensitive frog, which is a mass of 

 blood vessels and nerves and above this again is a fatty 

 frog which acts as a buffer. On top of the latter is the 

 small navicular bone. This bone is enveloped in a very 

 sensitive secreting membrane and if this becomes irritated 

 in the least through concussion resulting from the frog 

 not fulfilling its functions as a buffer then inflammation at 

 once sets in; the fluid for lubricating the joint is not se- 

 creted ; then follows absorption of the cartilage and finally 



