211 



THE HORSE. 



a& wide at the heel as the frog will permit, in order to cover tlie scat of 

 corn, and enable the horse to stand at his natural ease. 



On the foot side it is seated. The outer part of it is accurately flat, and 

 of the width of the crust, and designed to support the crust, and the crust 

 oiiy ; for it has already been proved that by the crust alone, or ratlier by 

 the union between the numerous little plates proceeding from the crust 

 aiid the covering of the coffin-bone, the whole weight of the horse is sup- 

 ported. Towards the heel this flattened part is wider, and occupies tbe 

 wnole breadth of the web, to support (see page 283) the heel of the crust 

 and its reflected part, the bar: thus, while "it defends the horn included 

 within this angle from injury, it gives that equal pressure upon ihe bar and 

 the crust, which is the best preventive against corn, and a powerful obstacle 

 to contraction. 



It is fastened to the foot by nine nails, five on the outside, and four on 

 the inner side of the shoe; those on the outside extending a little ffirther 

 down towards the heel, because the outside heel is thicker and stronger, 

 and there is more nail-hold ; the la-st nail on the inner quarter being farther 

 from the heel on account of the weakness of that quarter. For feet not too 

 large, and where moderate work only is required from the horse, fournails 

 on the outside, and three on the inside, will be sufficient; and the last nail 

 being far from the heels, will allow more expansion there. 



The inside part of the web is bevelled off, or rendered concave, that it 

 may not press upon the sole. Notwithstanding our iron fetter, the sole 

 does, although to a very inconsiderable extent, descend when the foot of 

 the horse is put on the ground. It is unable to bear constant or even 

 occasional pressure, and if it came in contact with the slioe, the sensible 

 sole, between the horny sole and the coffin-bone, would be bruised, and 

 lameness would ensue. Many of our horses, from too early and undue 

 work, liave the natural concave sole flattened, and the disposition to descend 

 and the degree of descent are thereby increased. The concave shoe pre- 

 vents, even in this case, the possibility of injury, because the sole can never 

 descend in the degree in which the shoe is bevelled. A shoe bevelled still 

 further is necessary to protect the projecting or pumiced foot. 



