CENTRAL VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 889 
afford a firm basis of support to the animal. Every single part of 
the hoof acts in unison, and none in independence. The discon- 
nected statements that “ the sole will not stand pressure,” that “the 
wall sustains the weight of the horse,” or “ the heels are the weakest 
parts of the foot,” were said to be founded on narrow views of the 
functions of the hoof, in opposition to the fact that no one part of 
the foot can act properly unless other parts preserve their structural 
and functional integrity. A weak sole allows the wall to collapse ; 
a weak wall allows the sole to become flattened ; a small wasted frog 
offers no obstacle to the contraction of the heels, and overgrown 
heels destroy first the form, and afterwards the function of the frog. 
Every element is equally important, and all work together, and are 
dependent upon each other. Mr. Hunting said he had a strong 
disbelief in alternate expansion and contraction of the foot during 
progression. As to the proper bearing surface of the hoof, he 
believes the border of the wall, and portion of the sole immediately 
in contact with it, take the primary bearing ; the frog is intended to 
come in contact first wflth the ground, but then to yield under 
pressure and allow the sustaining forces to fall on the harder and 
stronger parts. The bars in their integrity form a kind of internal 
wall, and prevent undue pressure of the frog. The arch of the sole, 
though taking a direct bearing on soft ground, merely allows a dis- 
tribution of pressure through it on hard surfaces, just as pressure is 
distributed throughout all arches when applied only to the abut- 
ments. 
The President said Mr. Hunting had gone deeply into the histo- 
logical composition of the horse’s foot ; however, some of the state- 
ments might be disputed, and, as far as he had studied the subject, 
found they were at variance with his conclusions. It is difficult to 
decide what is the type of a perfect foot. In all countries various 
modifications and configurations are to be found, each in itself being 
a grand adaptation to the wants of the animal, as well as to external 
conditions. Thus, in low marshy countries, the indigenous breeds 
of horses have wide and flat feet. These do not sink so rapidly as 
small ones, nor so much as a hollow or concave foot. Again, in hot 
dry countries the foot is narrow, hollow, and hard, as a means of 
withstanding wear ; yet none of these can be taken as a type of the 
horse’s foot generally. Influences of an external nature have the 
power of modifying the general characters of the hoof, and thus 
reduce it to one of a special kind, and adapt it to surrounding con- 
ditions. Nevertheless, there are striking peculiarities which form 
principal features in all feet. For instance, the direction of the 
fibres of the wall are from above downwards ; the plantar surface is 
circular ; in front the hoof is conical, and in profile it is circular. 
In well formed feet, from which the frog and bars are removed, the 
outline is that of a circle, and the width is consonant with the height. 
Mr. Hunting had stated his belief that the frog stay is wrongly 
named. He (the President) did not think so, and in support of his 
belief had retained the term, while that part in front he had named the 
“ toe-stay,” as he considered it to be for the purpose, among others, 
