THE HUNTING SHOE. 425 



two nails near the toe are in the situation in which Mr. Turner directs that they 

 should be placed, and behind them is no other attachment, between the shoe and 

 the crust. The portion of the crust which is rasped off from the inner surface 

 of the shoe is now, we believe, not often removed from the side of the foot ; 

 it has an unpleasant appearance, and the rasping is somewhat unnecessary. The 

 heel of this shoe exhibits the method which Mr. Turner has adopted, and with 

 considerable success, for the cure of corns ; he cuts away a portion of the ground 

 surface at the heel, and all injurious compression or concussion are rendered in a 

 manner impossible. 



There can be no doubt that this one-sided nailing has been exceedingly useful. 

 It has, in many a case that threatened a serious termination, restored the elas- 

 ticity of the foot, and enabled it to discharge its natural functions. Jt has also 

 restored to the foot, even in bad cases, a great deal of its natural formation, and 

 enabled the horse to discharge his duty with more ease and pleasure to himself, 

 and greater security to his rider. 



It is difficult to tell what was the character of " the old English shoe." It 

 certainly was larger than there was any occasion for it to be, and nearly covered 

 the lower surface of the foot. The nail-holes were also far more numerous 

 than they are at present. The ground side was usually somewhat convex. 

 " The effect of this," says Mr. W. C. Spooner, " was to place the foot in a 

 kind of hollow dish, which effectually prevented its proper expansion, the crust 

 resting on a mere ledge instead of a flat surface ; and, on the ground side, from 

 the inner rim coming to the ground first, the weight was almost supported by 

 the nails and clinches, which were placed, four or five on each side, at some dis- 

 tance from the toe, and approaching nearly to the heels*." 



It was an improvement to make the ground surface flat, and to take care 

 that it did not press on the sole. At length, however, came the concave-seated 

 shoe of Osmer, which was advocated by Mr. Clark, of Edinburgh, improved by 

 Mr. Moorcroft, and ultimately became very generally and usefully adopted. 



THE HUNTING SHOE. 



The hunter's shoe is different from that commonly used, in form as well as in 

 weight. It is not so much bevelled off as the common concave seated shoe. 

 Sufficient space alone is left for the introduction of a picker between the shoe 

 and the sole, otherwise, in going over heavy ground, the clay would insinuate 



* A Treatise on the Foot of the Horse, hy Mr. W. C. Spooner, p. 113. 



