SECRETARY'S REPORT. 14^ 



thickness of the crust at the front, over that of the sides and heels. 

 The circle round the outside represents the cut edge of the hoof. 

 The foot is one of about the same size as that in figure 2, but has a 

 thicker and better crust. The thinning of the crust from the point 

 of greatest width of the foot, back to the sides and heels, shows the 

 evil of driving our nails into these parts ; and a comparison of the 

 cut with the shoes figured 9 and 10, will at once explain how the 

 lameness thej caused was brought about. 



Now, all this thickening and strengthening and sloping at the 

 toe of the fore foot is not without an obvious design, which is to 

 enable it to receive without injury the shock upon it when the horse 

 is thrown forcibly forward, as in leaping, galloping, or even hard 

 trotting, especially if down hill ; and by turning up a tip on the 

 shoe as an abutment for the toe to press against when it strikes the 

 ground, we make both shoe and foot to act together in harmony, we 

 save the shoe from being knocked off, and at the same time promote 

 the natural action of the foot. In shoeing without this simple 

 expedient, we frustrate the design which nature evidently had in 

 making the toe so strong, and throw the concussion this strength 

 was designed to meet, upon the nail holds of the weaker parts of the 

 foot, the sides and heels. These have not only to support the weight 

 of the shoe, but also to bear the force of the foot striking the ground ; 

 and the shoe being found from these two causes more inclined to 

 come off than is wished, recourse is had to an extra amount of nail- 

 ing, not only at the toes, where from the thickness and want of 

 spring in the hoof, it is harmless, but round the quarters and even 

 to the heels, where by its pinching and fettering effects it is produc- 

 tive of the worst of consequences ; corns, contraction and founder 

 being its daily fruits. 



No disease is more certainly a consequence of shoeing than corns, 

 and the number of horses lame from this is almost beyond belief. I 

 have met with them in feet where they had caused lameness for 

 years, and been shod over all the time without discovery. In such 

 a case we may blame the shoer for oversight, but not for wilful mis- 

 doing ; but what shall we say when a corn is discovered, and to some 

 extent relieved by the knife, and then the shoe refixed on the very 

 plan by which the evil was originally produced ; yet such things 

 happen not once or twice, but daily. 



