190 
ON THE CONFORMATION OF HORSES. 
fact, of the quarter of the foot which receives the greatest weight 
contracting according to the degree of weight received, is at direct 
variance with generally received opinion ; weight being supposed 
to cause expansion. In confirmation of this, I need, however, 
only point to one fact, which will come home to every observer ; 
which is, that the inner quarter, which is more under the centre of 
gravity, and generally receives most weight, is usually straighter 
than the outside quarter; and although we have not expansion, we 
sometimes have a rupture of the fibres of the hoof, commencing at 
the coronet, where there is most motion, called sandcrack. A 
horse, from having too broad a chest, crooked legs, or pasterns 
bent outwards, will turn in his toes; and a shelving of the hoof, 
or conoid shape, will be found on the inner part of the front; 
while the outer quarter may appear misshapen or contracted. 
The outer quarter here sustains the greatest weight, and the op- 
posite quarter shelves. I will also remark, that, at the quarter 
where the greatest weight is received, the greatest wear of horn 
takes place; and therefore there is always a perceptible difference 
in the depth of horn at the quarters in these cases. 
When the position of the fore legs, seen in front, is too upright, 
the weight is supported across the base of the hoof, from the toe 
and heels, and the shelving takes place on each side of the front, 
or directly in front, and the heels are strong and deep. 
When, from crookedness of the hind legs, the horse is what is 
called “ cat hammed” (that is, the hocks are too close together), 
the toes turn outwards , and if the weight is sufficient to produce 
shelving, it will be on the outer part of the foot ; and vice versa , 
when the hocks are too far apart; the toes then turn inwards , 
and the shelving, when the weight is sufficient to produce it, will 
be on the inner part of the foot. 
When the position of the hind legs, seen from behind, appears 
straight or upright, the shelving, when it exists, will be on both 
sides of the foot, or directly in front. I repeat, that, with respect 
to hind feet, on account of want of weight, the shelving does not 
take place to the extent it does in the fore feet, yet are they 
regulated by precisely similar laws ; and though the weight may 
not prove sufficient to produce shelving, yet will it tend in that 
way, viz. in oblong feet, to the circular shape ; and in circular, to 
shelving, according to the weight received. 
The above are a few of the varieties of feet referrible to mal- 
formation; and I invite the profession to a closer study of this 
subject. Doubtless, numbers of horses have been rejected as un- 
sound, from time to time, from being alleged to have contraction 
of the inner or outer quarter, when the asserted “ contraction” has 
entirely depended on the conformation of the animal. 
Although Conformation is the predisposing Cause of 
