A new exposition of the horse's hoof / [By B.C].

  • Clark, Bracy, 1771-1860
Date:
[1820]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A new exposition of the horse's hoof / [By B.C]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    A NEW EXPOSITION OF THE HORSE'S HOOF. IT would be difficult by words only, or mere description, to convey any adequate notion of the Horses Hoof or its properties, or even by a simple inspection of the Hoof in the hand; by a model, however, of elastic riit^erials, its proper divisions being first duly ascertained, we are enabled to do this, and to obtain f M) clear and precise ideas of its construction and leading properties, and the uses of its several parts ; it is only necessary, to accomplish this, to take to pieces the model a few times, and put it together again,, when its structure will become clearly impressed on the mind, and teach us more than Newmarket or the Race-course could ever discover, and lead us also to consequences in the shoeing the horse of the very highest importance. We first premise, that in the mathematical principle of the cylinder is laid the foundation of the form of the hoof, and accompanying this model is a small cylinder of wood obliquely sawn asunder, which serves to expose this general principle; if we separate the two pieces, and place one of them with its cut side downwards on the box-lid, it will be seen to give the slope in front which the hoof has, and the other general properties of its external figure. The painter or sculptor who understands this, will give its figure correctly ; but not knowing it, will most probably mistake it for a cone, as has hitherto been the case, or give a mixed or confused representation of it. Now there appears a strong reason, if we consider this cylindrical form, for its preference, since the cylinder possesses the property of embracing its contents vastly more securely and firmly than a cone, which enlarging downwards, would have been in danger of letting the foot slip through, on any strong exertion of the animal, as the cone is ever presenting a wider area in that direction. To take the model to pieces, we first withdraw the pins from the loops, and we can then remove THE FURCH BAND, a newly discovered part, that serves strongly to connect the hoof with the skin which produces it, and to cover over and defend the joint they make in meeting; it also usefully supports the foot from a too much sinking downwards within the hoof, and keeps the frog steady in its situation, and with the bulbs restrains the hoof from too much lateral extension, assisting its return to its place also after this action.* The Bulbs of the furch, cover the sharp ends of the hoof or inflexions, and are a continuation of the above band, are next to be removed from the loops which sets THE FURCH at liberty, it can then be drawn out of its recess, leaving a very spacious triangular cavity. We have now to consider the uses of this remarkable organ, and may first observe that it is obviously given to fill up the great chasm of the doubly inflected hoof, and to permit the regular elastic movements of the sides of the hoof, yielding like India rubber, to every degree of expansion or contraction that is required, and as it is by far the softest material of the whole hoof, so is it retiring within the other parts, receiving the pressure of the soil in a third rate ratio, or degree ; the harder parts, as the wall and the outer edges of the sole, receiving it first, the bars and rest of the sole next, and thirdly the furch or frog. It is most important also to know, that this organ possesses the perfect power of maintaining its natural form, and the limits of its figure, unaided by art, for through ignorance of this property, it often gets most woefully robbed of its horn, cut, weakened, and disfigured, the very quick or flesh being often barely left with a covering, and from being of very slow growth, it is a long time in repairing it again, making riding unpleasant and dangerous. When in its most beautiful form and proportions, this part seems in a singular manner to be formed of an equilateral triangle, whose sides are about equal to the diameter of the hoof; this may be seen by laying flat the pasteboard figure of it on a table. It has hitherto been most strangely mistaken for a wedge, to force the heels open, but is in fact the passive bow-string of the elastic bow of the hoof, and which comparison will at once explain all the phenomena attending it, and correct all the errors and abuses of its treatment. * See its uses more fully explained in my account of the Foot and Shoeing, p. 48, 2nd edit.