THE SHOEING OF HORSES. 1 9 



two Is simply no more than what would exist between the two 

 forefingers of the reader, if pressed together. The wall and the 

 sole are alike in one respect : they yield upon pressure. If pres- 

 sure be applied steadily to the wall, in a lateral or outward direc- 

 tion, it will in time, if such pressure be continued, slowly separate 

 from the sole ; and the sole will as gradually descend, and become 

 altered materially in form. 



The separating process spoken of is widely in operation, and 

 the majority of those who own horses are perhaps utterly igno- 

 rant of the fact. The shoe, unless properly seated, will sooner 

 or later produce the effect described. The evil in question is not 

 so common amongst horses having feet of the concave class, as 

 with heavy draught horses and those having flat feet. 



The shoe, if properly made, should be both seated and 

 bevelled in the mode shown in Plate V. ; but if the seating be 

 omitted, and it be bevelled only (and especially if the bevelling 

 extends from the outer to the inner rim of the shoe), the effect 

 which, In time, must ensue to a foot regularly nailed to such a 

 shoe will be evident, if reflected upon. Thousands of feet are 

 daily shod with shoes of the kind described ; and the consequence 

 is, the wall of the foot is forced laterally from the sole in an out- 

 ward direction ; and the sole descending, becomes what Is called 

 pumiced — a condition of the foot which, If not arrested, may so 

 Increase as in tiijie to render the animal useless. 



More fully to understand this, the reader should select an old 

 horse shoe, and place It, foot-surface upwards, upon the end of the 

 fingers of the left hand, holding the shoe evenly balanced towards 

 the light, upon a level with the eye ; then place across the shoe a 



