PREPARATION OF THE FOOT. 



39^ 



laminse — may be rasped down so that a firm bearing' 

 surface is obtained, consisting of wall and sole. 



In Fig, 23, tlie bearing surface at the heels is below 

 the line marking a proportionate foot. The toe is too 

 long and projects beyond the transverse toe line. The 

 side view shows the low heel and the corresponding 

 excess in the slope of the wall in front. The lower 

 transverse line in each figure does not represent the 

 ground, but is added to make clear the height of heels 

 and length of toe. 



Important as it is to maintain the relative propor- 

 tions between the front and back parts of the foot, it is- 

 perhaps even more important to preserve the balance 

 between the two sides of a foot. Both sides must be left 

 of equal height. If one side be higher than the other, a 

 disproportionate amount of weight is thrown on the 

 lower side, and more or less strain is put upon the liga- 

 ments of the joint above. In the Figs. 24, one limb is 



I 

 ^ -^ -*■ 



Level foot. 



Fig. 24. One side too high. 



shown with both sides of the hoof even, and the straight 

 line of the limb cuts squarely across the transverse line 

 of the bearing surface of the foot. In the other limb, 

 one side of the hoof is too high, and, in the preparation 

 for shoeing, only that side will require attention. 



Through constant neglect of this point, some feet 

 become more or less permanently twisted — and the twist 

 occurs at the coronet. The ground surface of a foot or 

 a shoe always tends to remain at right angles to the 



