S H O E I N G. 165 



raifing all the fore part of the foot, with 

 *' the half-moon fhoe, ict on to the mid- 

 dle of the hoof,'' not only forming an irre- 

 gular and preternatural furface, but (by a 

 want of length and fupport at the heel) con- 

 llituting an unavoidable chance of relaxing 

 the finews in their perpetual probability of 

 their being extended beyond the eUiJiic 'power 

 prefcribed by nature. 



This difference of opinion becomes fo im- 

 mediately connected with a particular pailage 

 in my form^er volume upon the fubjed: of 

 "• Jlrains''^ that it is abfolutely neceffary to 

 quote a few lines for the better comprehen- 

 iion of the cafe before us ; for I have there 

 faid, '* To render this idea fo clear that 

 it cannot be milUnderllood, let us fuppofe 

 that a horfe is going at his rate, and in fo 

 doing his toe covers a prominence, or the 

 edge of one, where the heel h.is no^ fup- 

 port^ it confequently extends the tendons 

 beyond the diftance afforded by nature, and 

 inftantly continues what is called a letting 

 down of the back finevv'^s,'* a circumftance 

 that conftantly happens upon the turf in run- 



M3' ning 



