426 THE EXPANDING SHOE. 



itself, and by its tenacity loosen, and even tear off the shoe. The heels likewise 

 are somewhat shorter, that they may not be torn off by the toe of the hind-feet 

 when galloping fast, and the outer heel is frequently but injudiciously turned 

 up to prevent slipping. If calkins are necessary, both heels should have an 

 equal bearing. 



THE BAR-SHOE. 



A bar-shoe is often exceedingly useful. It is the continuation of the common 

 shoe round the heels, and by means of it the pressure may be taken off from 

 some tender part of the foot, and thrown on another which is better able to bear 

 it, or more widely and equally diffused over the whole foot. It is principally 

 resorted to hi cases of corn, the seat of which it perfectly covers in pumiced 

 feet, the soles of which may be thus elevated above the ground and secured 

 from pressure, in sand-crack, when the pressure may be removed from the 

 fissure, and thrown on either side of it, and in thrushes, when the frog is tender, 

 or is become cankered, and requires to be frequently dressed, and the dressing 

 can by this means alone be retained. In these cases the bar- shoe is an excellent 

 contrivance, if worn only for one or two shoeings, or as long as the disease re- 

 quires it to be worn, but it must be left off as soon as it can be dispensed with. 

 If it is used for the protection of a diseased foot, however it may be chambered 

 and laid off the frog, it will soon become flattened upon it ; or if the pressure 

 of it is thrown on the frog, in order to relieve the sand-crack or the corn, that 

 frog must be very strong and healthy which can long bear the great and con- 

 tinued pressure. More mischief is often produced in the frog than previously 

 existed in the part that was relieved. It will be plain that in the use of the bar- 

 shoe for corn or sand-crack, the crust and the frog should be precisely on a level : 

 the bar also should be the widest part of the shoe, in order to afford as extended 

 bearing as possible on the frog, and therefore less likely to be injurious. Bar- 

 shoes are evidently not safe in frosty weather. They are never safe when much 

 speed is required from the horse, and they are apt to be wrenched off in a 

 heavy, clayey country. 



TIPS. 



Tips are short shoes, reaching only half round the foot, and worn while the 

 horse is at grass, hi order to prevent the crust being torn by the occasional 

 hardness of the ground, or the pawing of the animal. The quarters at the 

 same time being free, the foot disposed to contract has a chance of expanding 

 and regaining its natural shape. 



THE EXPANDING SHOE. 



Our subject would not be complete if we did not describe the supposed ex- 

 panding shoe, although it is now almost entirely out of use. It is either seated 

 or concave like the common shoe, with a joint at the toe, by which the natural 

 expansion of the foot is said to be permitted, and the injurious consequences of 

 shoeing prevented. There is, however, this radical defect in the jointed shoe, 

 that the nails occupy the same situation as in the common shoe, and prevent, as 

 they do, the gradual expansion of the sides and quarters, and allow only of a 

 hinge-like motion at the toe. It is a most imperfect accommodation of the 

 expansion of the foot to the action of its internal parts, and even this accommo- 

 dation is afforded in the slightest possible degree, if it is afforded at all. Either 

 the nails fix the sides and quarters as in the common shoe, and then the joint at 

 the toe is useless; or, if that joint merely opens like a hinge, the nail-holes near 

 the toe can no longer correspond with those in the quarters, which are un- 

 equally expanding at every point. There will be more stress on the crust at 



