(which all would reach, if they tried), they might be led to reflect, and ask themselves whether this was the full extent of improvement they could arrive at. ‘Impecuniosus’ stopped short here; but the American farmers pushed the thing still further by doing away with even this small protection on the hind feet. At this point they also made a stand, apparently overawed by their presumption or stupefied by their success. They were unaware, or unable fully to appreciate the fact that Nature was smiling benignly upon their efforts in the right direction, even when they were brought face to face with the rewards she was so plainly giving them at each advancing step towards perfection.
It is astounding that the last scales should not have dropped from the eyes of such investigating and liberally-disposed men, and have thus left disclosed to their perfect vision the fact that Nature had not left the toe out of account when she designed the wonderfully perfect and beautiful foot of the horse, defective as it is popularly, but erringly, supposed to be. The toe is even provided in an extra manner with the means of standing all wear and tear; for, if the tips be removed and the horse worked barefoot over the roughest kind of roads, as he is in many countries, the toe will outgrow all calls upon it, which is what no other part of the hoof will ever do, although they all resist wear. The toe alone will require to be restricted in its growth; for it will grow too long, even under hard work on hard roads, and must be kept rasped back occasion-
