TREATISE ON HORSESHOEING. 433 



we can give to the shoe can of itself change the 

 form of the foot. It must not be inferred, how- 

 ever, from this that the shape of the shoe is of 

 no importance ; quite the contrary being the 

 case, as I have already shown. In forming the 

 shoe, we should always adopt that which pro- 

 duces the greatest number of advantages with 

 the fewest disadvantages. 



We find that the sole-surface of the foot is by 

 nature concave in form, which seems to offer 

 the greatest fulcrum of resistance to the horse 

 when traveling. It is important to preserve 

 the natural mechanical action of the horn and 

 sole ; therefore the ground surface of the foot, 

 that is to say, the ground surface of the shoe, 

 should be leveled cup fashion ; its outer edge 

 being prominent, corresponds to the lower and 

 outer rim of the hoof; while the shoe being 

 hollow, resembles the natural cavity of the sole 

 of the foot. The ground surface of the shoe 

 should always be concave. 



The pattern that nature has presented us in 

 making the sole concave, cannot be improved 



