ATTRITION ON THE HORSE'S FOOT. 95 



succession of very steep rough hills or " tors," and 

 rugged " combes," strewed with granite rock and 

 stones. Yet in spite of all, besides the bogs and 

 chronic state of rain, the herds of ponies gallop 

 fearlessly along the rough steep sides of the combes, 

 or down and up. It is a pretty sight to see them, 

 especially in the spring, with the foals by their 

 sides.' 



Mayhew says of the shod horse : ' As the shoe 

 alone rests upon the earth, of course the hoof lacks 

 needful attrition.' The attrition or friction caused 

 by exercising the unshod animal on hard roads is 

 salutary to the whole foot, because it acts as a 

 natural stimulant to circulation and secretion, not 

 causing a ' mere splutter of vitality ' that is of no 

 lasting worth, but making the horn * to thicken and 

 accommodate itself to its task, like the skin of 

 a blacksmith's hand.' Youatt says : < The horn 

 answers to the skin of the human foot/ Magistrates 

 examine the hands of vagrants: and, by their 

 hardness or softness, judge whether they have bona- 

 fide 'frozen-out gardeners' before them, or pro- 

 fessional beggars. Gardeners and navvies neither 

 wear gloves nor pad their spade handles, although 

 the bottom or forward hand comes down and slides 

 on a roughly riveted iron strap. The hoof of the 

 horse cannot be looked upon as being of a more 

 delicate nature than a man's hand. 



Besides the advantage of attrition being gained 

 by the removal of the shoes, expansion and contrac- 

 tion which play so prominent a part in the general 



