n 



hut almost passively receiving their action ; for, it is clear it would have 

 been the inversion of good roechanics, to use a softer to rend a harder body, 

 pr as the employing a wedge of dough to cleave a block of wood : the wal! 

 of the hoof being formed entire iß front, piesents a more solid and stronger 

 resistance to the ground than perhaps in any other animal ;. and the liberty 

 of its parts being maintained by elastic provisions, having an extraordinary 

 tough nature and insensibility to the soil and power of restoration by 

 growth, completes the Limb. These suggestions respecting the nature of 

 the foot, vve wish may lead to raore enlig;htened vievvs for its treatment, 

 and open prospeets for less destructive measures in defending it.* 



The hind limbs, situated almost at oae end or extremity of the body, 

 and therefore having a less load upon them, have less occasion for the 

 perpendicular line of support, but are bent into more acute angles, and 

 by being thrown into a backward direction, afford the necessary impetus 

 for the projection of the body, especially in very accelerated movements ; 

 but, from the rapid waste of power which such exertions occasion, their 

 use in this way can endurebut for a short period only ; at all other times 

 the weight is reposing chiefly upon the upright columns of the fore limbs : 

 by the angles of the hind limbs closing and suddenly returning again to 

 a State of extension the body is forced forward, and that nothing of the 

 impetus should be lost, they possess, as we have already stated, a solid 

 bony connection with the ilium. 



The haunch-bone, or ilium, in these limbs appears to hold in Situation a 

 sort of correspondence to the shoulder-blade of the fore extremity, and in 

 reality, it can be detacbed from the trank by the knife only, as we have 

 frequently noticed, being, held to it by ligament raerely, though it will not 

 materially affect our view of it which ever way it may be considered ; we 

 choose, for our present purpose, rather to consider it as part of the limb, 

 this widely-branching bone combining with its two coadjutors the ischium 

 andjSMijsraeet in apoint to form the acetabulum, oi socket, for the reception 



* Tlie reader is referred, for a more particular account of this beautiful organ, to the author'ä 

 Dissertation ori the Foot, published in 1809, containing new and important Intelligence on the 

 Effects of the Iron to the Horse's Foot, and Discoveries respecting Contracted Feet, and of the 

 Knowledge and Practices of the Ancients in respectto their Methods of defending the Feet; 

 also the Origin of Modern Slioeing, &c. 4to. Price 1/. U, with Mne elegant Plates. 



of 



