Hippodonomia, or the true structure, laws, and economy, of the horse's foot: also podophthora, or a ruinous defect in the principle of the common shoe detected ... with a proposition for a new principle of shoeing / [Bracy Clark].

  • Clark, Bracy, 1771-1860
Date:
1829
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Hippodonomia, or the true structure, laws, and economy, of the horse's foot: also podophthora, or a ruinous defect in the principle of the common shoe detected ... with a proposition for a new principle of shoeing / [Bracy Clark]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the quantity of bearing surface of the foot upon the ground, which in these fore feet is much more extensive than in those behind; and their pliancy also, as we have stated, is more considerable. The hind limbs, placed near to the opposite extremity of the ma- chine, which is very much enlarged and strengthened to receive them, having a less weight to support, have not the perpendicular direction of the fore limbs given them, but are thrown into angles for impelling the body when in quick action, and by their collapse, pro- jection, and subsequent extension, impel the body forward : the point of the limb in this movement appears for this purpose to be carried out forwards anterior to the centre of motion, and like a * fixed radius, is brought to act against the ground, and the body is then shot over it by the power of the muscles of the haunch, which are necessarily immensely large, as they are acting to a mechanical disadvantage so very near to the centre of motion. And in order that none of the force or momentum should be lost, these limbs are attached to the trunk, not by soft muscle as in the fore extremities, but by a solid bony connection, having a strong ball and socket joint; and the hind feet to be in conformity with these limbs in office and effect, are made harder, loftier, firmer, and less yielding than the fore feet. Now the whole weight or impression of the animal, it would appear, becomes finally dispersed and lost on three chief points, so as not to be severely felt by either of them, that is, upon the fetlock joint, the deep front of the hoof, and the posterior, and more yielding elastic parts of the foot. And it farther appears probable, that under particular circumstances it may happen accord- ing to the will of the animal that either of these points can be made to receive a greater share, and be the bearer of more weight; and in cases of tender feet, the animal giving his weight more to the toe or to the fetlock, and less to the posteriors of the foot, as when these parts have suffered by contraction and absorption, the strain or stress being then greater upon the above parts, their relaxation and D