THE HORSE. -J-J 



iron shoes to the tough horny layer which forms 

 the outside of the hoof The need which existed 

 in ancient times for power to traverse rough and 

 stony ground has ensured sufficient toughness and 

 substance in the hoof material to allow the smith 

 to nail the shoes securely. But in getting over 

 this difficulty the horse's master has rather in- 

 creased than diminished the shock of contact with 

 the hard ground, and if the ignorant farrier should 

 cut away the elastic triangular cushion called the 

 " frog " beneath the horse's foot (which was 

 nature's original provision for breaking such 

 shocks), the bones and sinews of the horse's legs 

 soon reveal the injury caused by constant jars. 

 Among civilised surroundings (which, as far as 

 the horse is concerned, means interminable hard 

 roads) the indiarubber-like " frog " if left alone 

 would help to protect the legs from the effects 

 of vibration. But if we look at the structure of 

 the limbs just above the hoofs, we see another 

 important reason why paved surfaces and such- 

 like unfavourable conditions do not injure the 

 legs more. The fetlock or pastern-joints of a 

 well-bred horse are long and elastic, so that they 

 yield a little at each step and so break the torce 

 of the concussion. The animal is, in fact, 



