io6 THE CONDITION OF HUNTERS 



the fore-shoes should be on or not — the hoofs, in the 

 latter case, being often rasped around the toe to pre- 

 vent them chipping or splitting. For my own part I 

 prefer the tip, or half-shoe, leaving the frog to press 

 on the ground. A few nails around the front of the 

 hoof cannot be injurious provided the heel be left free 

 from them. If a horse's foot is inclined to become 

 convex, or pumice, then he should go without his 

 shoes, on the same principle as the inside of the black- 

 smith's hand becomes hard by the constant use of 

 his hammer. I had a fine hunter with this sort of 

 feet, which I restored to their proper form by making 

 him stand on flags all day for three months in succes- 

 sion. The internal part of the foot, which had, as it 

 were, dropped from it proper place, was forced back 

 to it again, and the disease, if I may call it such, did 

 not return. 



