In the Stable, Field, and on the Road. 129 



and parallel, only varying in width according to the for- 

 mation of the hoof to which it is to be applied, and 

 similar to the ordinary shoe in the fullering. The foot 

 surface, however, differs in having a narrow plain rim 

 about the same width as the thickness of the crust, 

 extending round the edge of the shoe, except at the heel, 

 where it presents a flat surface, to the extent of an inch ; 

 the other part of the shoe is hollowed out, bevelling from 

 the inner edge of the seat, making it thin except at the 

 heel, which is the same thickness throughout, the inten- 

 tion being that the crust of the foot should bear upon 

 and be supported by the seat of the shoe. The advantage 

 of this shoe over the ordinary one is that of the crust 

 resting on a flat surface instead of on an inclined plane, 

 and as it bears on the edsfe it is less liable to induce 

 contraction. The heel of the shoe should have a fair 

 bearing upon the heel and bars of the foot. The bars 

 should upon no account be cut away. Almost all smiths 

 have a fancy for opening the heels, from the idea that it 

 does good by rendering the foot neater, which is a com- 

 plete fallacy, as they ought seldom or never to be 

 touched ; as I have already shown in my description 

 of the anatomy of the foot, the bars are the only 

 check in preventing contraction. Nothing, therefore, 

 should be removed but the ragged and detached 

 portions. . . . It is intended that the shoe should 

 rest partly on the heel and partly on the bar of 

 the foot, consequently the bars should be alloAved to 

 remain nearly in its original condition from its first 

 inflection, and extending down to the frog. From what 

 we have shown it will be sufficiently evident that some 



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