THE SHOE. 



53 



It should be ever most strenuously insisted upon, that 

 the whole lower face of the hoof, except the border of the 

 wall, must be left in a state of nature ; the horn of the 

 sole, frog, and bars, has an important duty to fulfill ; it is 

 the natural protection to this part of the hoof, and no 

 protection of iron, leather, or other material is half so 

 efficacious ; in addition, it is a capital agent in sustaining 

 weight, and in keeping the whole foot healthy and perfect 

 in form. 



THE SHOE. 



The Ordinary Shoe. — The hoof having been prepared 

 by the farrier, according to his fancy for the reception of 

 the metal plate which is to garnish it, here again we find 

 that ignorance prevails and is productive of inconvenience 



Fig. 12. 



and injury. " Improved principles " demand that a par- 

 ticular-shaped shoe be applied ; no matter whether the an- 

 imal be for saddle, harness, or draught purposes, it must 

 have a shoe that rests only on the margin of the hoof— on 

 the wall. Therefore, except a narrow border to corre- 

 spond with this margin, the upper or foot- face of the shoe 

 is bevelled away, so as to leave a wide space between it 

 and the sole, and throw all the weight and strain on the 

 outer parts of the foot (Fig. 11) ; in addition to which dis- 



