ESSAY ON SHOEING HOKSES. '137 



PKESSURB ON THE FROG. 



Goodwin says, " It is an incontrovertible fact that unless the frog 

 receives a certain degree of pressure, it will degenerate and become 

 incapable of affording sufficient protection to the sensitive frog, 

 which it covers; that the heels will gradually contract; that the bars 

 alone are not sufficient to prevent the same, though they certainly 

 oppose it with considerable force. But it does not follow from this 

 that it is necessary for the pressure to be constant, nor is it believed 

 that a shoe which allows the frog to bear on the ground, when the 

 horse stands upon a plane, hard surface, can be always applied even to 

 sound feet without inconvenience. There is no doubt that a horse 

 in a state of nature has his frog almost always in contact with the 

 ground, and then of course he feels no inconvenience from it ; but 

 when burthens are placed upon his back, and he is driven about on 

 hard roads, he is certainly in very different circumstances, and if the 

 frog in such cases was constantly exposed to this severe pressure, it 

 would no doubt occasion lameness." Still, a certain amount of pres- 

 sure is absolutely necessary, for unless that be the case, descent of 

 the sole and disease of the laminae is apt to occur. 



SHOEING OP CAVALRY HORSES. 



The following circular has just been issued by the Adjutant Gen- 

 eral, British army, from the Horse Guards : 



Sir : — It being very desirable that a uniform system of shoeing 

 should be established in the cavalry, and the whole of that important 

 subject having been recently referred to the consideration of a Board 

 composed of officers of great experience in that branch of the ser- 

 vice, assisted by two old and experienced professional men, the Gen- 

 eral Commanding in Chief has been pleased to direct that the follow- 

 ing instructions, extracted from their Report, and which embody the 

 whole of their recommendations, be circulated throughout the cav- 

 alry, accompanied by duplicates of the pattern shoes, which have 

 been sealed and deposited at the office of Military Boards for gen- 

 eral reference and guidance. 



1. The shoe is to be beveled off, so as to leave a space and pre- 

 vent pressure to the sole. 



2. It is not to be grooved or fettered ; but simply punched, and 

 the nails counter-sunk. 



3. Calkin is to be applied to the hind shoe only, and is to be con- 

 fined to the outside heel. The inside heel is to be thickened in 

 proportion. 



4. The weight of the shoe is to be from twelve to fifteen ounces, 

 according to the size of the horse. 



5. As a general principle, horses are to be shod with not less than 

 six nails in the fore and seven in the hind shoe ; nor is the sole to be 

 attached with not fewer than three nails on either side. 



6. In preparing the foot for the shoe, as little as possible should 

 be pared out, and the operation should be confined to the removal of 

 the exfoliating parts of the sole only. 



7. Both the fore and hind shoes are to be made with a single 

 clip at the toes. 



