270 NAVIN ON THE HORSE. 



sole whicli is tlic seat of corn. By allowing the heel of the 

 shoe to project as described, it has a tendency to lead the crust 

 outward, by the natural motions of the hoof, and thus oppose 

 contraction. It also prevents the shoe from being drawn for- 

 ward and imbedding the heel in the sole, where corns occur. 

 It also interferes less with the free action of the frog than 

 other forms of shoe. 



The objections that have been urged to this form of heel for 

 the shoe are, that it is liable to be trod upon by the other 

 feet and torn off, that it affords insufficient protection to the 

 heel of the sole, or the seat of corns, and that it offers greater 

 resistance in mud or heavy ground to the drawing out of the 

 foot. To meet these objections I would say, the heel is so far 

 under that there can be but the least danger of the shoe being 

 caught by another foot, unless it projects very much further 

 than I have recommended. No width of web can prevent 

 corns, and no narrowness produce them. If the crust at the 

 heel is pared down too low, and especially if the bar is pared 

 down, or the scaly horn over the seat of corn is left on, any 

 shoe, however wide or narrow, will bruise the sole enough to 

 produce corn. To the other objection, I have only to say that 

 any foot will come out of the hole it makes in soft ground, and 

 that, before the foot starts to raise, the heel is thrown forward 

 and upward, so that the heel of the shoe has little or no 

 resistance to encounter. I consider these objections almost 

 groundless. 



The Seating of the Shoe. — That part of the side of the web 

 of the shoe which the crust rests on is called the seating. It 

 is of the same width of the thickness of the crust, and should 

 be perfectly level, so that when the crust is pared to a perfect 

 level it will fit on it close enough to hold water. Nothing coil- 

 tributes more to making the shoe hold on than its perfectly 

 fitting the crust. 



The Concave of tlie Shoe. — The side of the web which is next 

 the foot is not all left flat; Ijut the inner jiart, from wliore the 



