STUD BOOS. 185 



sometimes enabled to regain its natural open state. It has 

 been tried for road-work, but, as might naturally be expected, 

 it utterly failed when often or long used. 



The Leather Shoe 



is principally useful when the foot has been injured or 

 inflamed. It, to a considerable degree, breaks the shock, 

 which would otherwise be painfully felt when the foot is put 

 on the ground. It consists of a piece of leather or felt, about 

 an inch in width, which is placed between the crust and the 

 shoe; and this very materially obviates concussion. It must 

 not, however, be long worn, for the nails cannot always be 

 driven securely; there will be too much play upon them, and 

 they will become loosened; also the holes which they accu- 

 rately filled at first will be enlarged, and the crust will be 

 broken away. 



The sole is sometimes entirely covered with leather. This 

 furnishes a temporary defence for the foot, but there is much 

 insecurity of fastening; the tow, or other dressing introduced 

 between the sole and the leather, is not always equably dis- 

 tributed, and frequently the stopping produces a scaly spongy 

 horn, or gravel, and dirt will gradually accumulate between 

 the leather and the horn, and the foot will be considerably 

 injured. Gutta percha is substituted with good effect 



One other shoe must be mentioned 



The Horse Sandal. 



It consists of a simple apparatus sufficiently light even to be 

 carried in the pocket, but is more frequently attached to the 

 saddle, and which, on the loss of a shoe, can be applied to 

 the foot in the space of a minute, and so securely attached 

 to it that the sportsman may continue the chase to the end 

 of the longest run. The same sandal has been repeatedly 

 worn more than one hundred miles; it may be procured 

 from any respectable harness-maker. 



Roaring. 



The quality of soundness involves several questions of no 

 mean importance, especially with regard to those maladies 

 which are capable of being transmitted. It is very apparent 

 to those whose practice among horses is extensive, and who 

 are best able to form accurate opinions, that spavins and 



