174 COMPENDIUM OF THE VETERINARY ART. 



ever too much to assert, that the structure of 

 the horse's foot is strikingly beautiful and 

 curious: here we find a variety of wonderful 

 contrivances to prevent any painful concussion, 

 from carrying heavy burdens, or from the 

 most violent exertions; but such is the folly 

 and obstinacy of farriers, that they frequently 

 destroy or pervert the whole of thii; beau- 

 tiful mechanism, and the poor animal is 

 doomed to painful labour, or perpetual lame- 

 ness. 



It would not be consistent with the objects of 

 this chapter, to give an elaborate description 

 of the anatomical structure of the horse's foot; 

 but it will be essentially useful to give such 

 an explanation of it, as will enable the reader 

 fully to comprehend the principles of shoeing, 

 and the method of preserving the feet from 

 many troublesome and incurable diseases. 



The horse's foot is made up of a great variety 

 of parts, some of them possessing blood-vessels 

 and nerves, like other parts of the body, and 

 highly sensible : others are composed of a 

 dead horny substance, perfectly destitute of 

 feeling. All the external parts of the foot, 

 which, when taken together, are termed the 

 coffin or horf, are composed of this liorny sub- 

 stance; which is not only very hard, but i^ 



