other luembers and parts of tlie body. For we may observe, that tlie 

 horse's height does not much increase after the fifth year, though he furnishes 

 laterally very much after this period. How impressive these facts of the 

 mischiefs which must accrue from early shoeing. For an account of the 

 construction of this beautiful organ, I refer the reader to a treatise on the 

 foot I formerly published. Suffice it here to say, tliat it is not a mere 

 obtuse box, or cover of hörn, for the security of the foot from bruises; 

 but an exquisite elastic machine, to receive the weight, and to spring to 

 every impression or effort of the animal, and even assisting bis advances, 

 by a return to its natural form. The frog in this case, it is ascertained in 

 the above treatise, is performing the subordinate office of bow-string to the 

 bow of the hoof, restraining it from too great extension: and aiding also 

 its return to its first position, on the removal of the pressure: not a 

 wedge, as heretofore apprehended, to force open the heels, which, from 

 its being a soft part, to have performed, would have been the inversion 

 of good mechanical principles. 



The hoof, I may observe, in its formation assumes a variety of shapes, 

 some less perfect than others, and differences in the relative strength of its 

 parts ; these defects may in some degree at times be improved or rectifted 

 by art, or the tendency to weakness, or mischief prevented from increasing, 

 by judicious measures. 



I propose now to attempt a brief description of the perfect hoof, and 

 some of its varieties. The following is an enumeration. The good 

 natural Hoof and Foot. The upright or Mute Foot. The lumpi) Foot, or 

 large Hoof and little Bone. The small Hoof and projecting Coronet, 

 The trumpet Hoof. The flat Hoof. The ribhed Hoof. The incurvated 

 Hoof. The foundered Hoof. There are others of less note and various 

 mixtures. The following is a more particular account of these varieties. 



The good or perfect Foot has the hoof nearly of a cylindrical figure, 

 a little dilating downwards, smooth and stout, of a proportionate size 

 to the limb and body, with a due distribution of power and size in the 

 solid and elastic parts ; The Frog occupying at its base about asixthpart 

 of the circumference of the whole foot, a stout and entire Frog Stay, a 

 broad elastic Frog Baiid, with dense and large Intortional Bulbs. Sole 

 moderately concave and elastic. Sars or Inflections prominent and bold. 

 Coronet handsoniely rising above the hoof, neither bulging over nor 

 sinking down in the Hoof;* this part is formed chiefly by the cartilages, 



* The exprcssion of Columella " Cormis mediocrihus" is well cboseii. 



