CAEE AND MANAGEMENT OF ANIMALS 799 



keep them regular in length, and so avoid one side growing 

 longer than the other, which tends to malformation of the 

 limbs ; they should also be kept clean and the foot pads 

 regularly examined. While this is being done the feet may 

 be handled as in shoeing, and the formality gone through 

 of tapping the hoof with a hammer. Only those conversant 

 with the shoeing of young animals can fully appreciate the 

 value of these early lessons, which should be given once a 

 week for a few minutes. 



As the animal matures the foot becomes wider at the 

 heels, and the foot pad better developed. The unshod foot 

 of an animal brought up on a dry soil has a firm, well- 

 developed foot pad, strong heels and bars. The latter in 

 the foot of a wild horse we once had the opportunity of 

 examining, were of extraordinary size and strength, very 

 much stronger and deeper than is ever seen in the domesti- 

 cated animal, thus adding enormously to the strength of 

 the foot. 



It would be interesting to know how much of the develop- 

 ment of the bar of the foot in the domesticated horse has 

 been lost in breeding. In a foot with large bars the sole is 

 relatively smaller, so if by breeding we have increased the 

 size of the sole and reduced the depth and size of the bars, 

 it has been a change for the worse and not for the better. 



Perhaps the two most common faults in the domesticated 

 foot are a thin sole and weak wall. It may be these have 

 been produced by want of care in breeding, but they are 

 serious sources of trouble in working horses. 



Probably the next most common fault is one of shape, 

 the feet being broader than there is any necessity for, and 

 on this point it is pretty certain breeding is responsible. 

 Over a certain point what feet gain in width they lose in 

 strength, as the wide foot has a weak sole and low heel. 



Eeet are no doubt affected by the character of the soil on 

 which the animal is reared, damp soil favouring a wide 

 spreading foot, dry soil a narrower upright foot. Prom 

 every point of view the flat, low-heeled foot is objectionable 

 and a source of weakness. 



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