174 On the General Treatment of the Feet, 



to admit. If we look at the state of the Feet of Horses, in His Majes- 

 ty's service, and compare them with those of many other Horses that 

 are also kept in stables, the difference will be very manifest to every 

 nnprejitdiced man. But, it is right to observe in the first place, that 

 no oil is ever applied to their Feet, with a view of supplying the 

 horn, and secondly, that they stand through the daytime on the pave- 

 ment, (on account of the small allowance of straw for litter,) thirdly, 

 that the Feet are ordered to be picked out and washed night and 

 morning; in consequence of which plan of treatment, we hardly 

 ever see a sandcrack, and but seldom a running thrush. Something, 

 no doubt, too^ ought to be placed to the account of the plan on 

 "which our military Horses are shod. 



But, as the two grand principles of the Veterinary College of 



London, (namely, the preservation of the frog and bars) have pretty 



generally made their way throughout Great Britain and Ireland, I 



do not feel inclined to lay any material stress upon this circumstance. 



Now, though a cool and expansive state of the hoof is at all times 



so highly desirable, and though this condition will almost always be 



3)recluded by the use of oil, for reasons which have been already 



detailed, yet the principle of softening the horn by the use of water 



may undoubtedly be carried too far. And the apparently good 



effects which moisture has upon hoofs that are contracted, has 



been the chief cause of exciting too sanguine expectations of relief, 



and consequently of occasioning the most severe disappointment to 



many, who have tried the experiment. For though the greater part 



of this deceptive appearance of advantage, (in all cases where Horses 



have been turned out to graze without shoes, or with tips, only, on 



iheir Feet,) arises from the circumstance of the actual expansion ©f 



