OHAPTEK IX. 



THE FOOT— ITS CARE AND SHOEING. 



The Hoof and its Contents. The importance of this 

 organ in animals cannot be overestimated, in the horse 

 especially are good feet needed; without good feet his 

 value is lessened according to the degree his work is 

 interfered with. While cattle, sheep and swine are not 

 used for draught purposes, yet they also should have 

 good feet, in order to render their getting to the feed 

 trough and market sure, and in those used for breeding, 

 to render them capable of performing that valuable func- 

 tion. The foot consisting of the hoof and its contents will 

 therefore be described, that of the horse being taken as 

 the type. Approaching the foot from the outside the 

 hoof is first reached, seemingly a continuation of the 

 skin, which it is. The hoof is divided into the wall, sole 

 and frog, the wall being that part seeu when the foot is 

 on the ground. The wall is also divided into parts, viz., 

 the toe, quarters, heels, bars, surfaces and borders. The 

 toe forms the front of the hoof and is the deepest and 

 thickest part of the wall, passing back it grows shorter 

 at the quarters, that part midway between toe and heel, 

 passing back still further the heel is reached, at which 

 point the wall makes a sharp turn inwards and forwards 

 until it meets near the point of the frog, the continuation 

 of the wall from the opposite heel; the wall thus forms 

 an acute angle at the heels and it is at this point where 



