86 SCIENTIFIC HORSESHOEING. 



mass of horn in a healthy unmutilated condition, permitted to 

 reach the ground (while the animal is moving, at least), is abso- 

 lutely essential to the well-being of the foot, the more especially 

 if high speed is desired. The frog is nature's cushion and hoof 

 expander (in connection with the bars), and to alter this state is 

 fatal to its usefulness, for such act causes it to shrink, dry and 

 harden, when, both as a cushion and expander it is a dead flat 

 failure. The frog is also the main support to the plantar cush- 

 ion, which in turn supports the back tendons, so that without 

 its natural pressure the tendons soon become jaded, inflamed and 

 swollen, and it is thus a main factor of safety in traveling or 

 riding. 



Neither the frog or sole ever become too large or thick by 

 natural growth or usage, for they scale or cast oif flakes as they 

 pass beyond the life maintaining stage of the producing tissues, 

 and a certain degree of exposure is required for their vitality 

 and resiliency. In cases of existing disease, where resort to the 

 drawing-knife may be required to relieve or assist the afi^ected 

 parts, I plainly treat of such in the subsequent pages ; but in 

 normal conditions the sole and frog should, on no pretext -what- 

 ever, be disturbed by the shoer. 



Weight of the Shoe. — Two things must be strenuously in- 

 sisted on for the shoe ; one is, that the shoe be as light as possible, 

 and the other is, that it be made or moulded on its foot-bearing 

 surface to an exact counterpart of the hoof to which it is ap- 

 plied. Bearing in mind that the original and legitimate design 

 of the shoe is for the preservation and defense of the hoof from 

 undue wear, w^e should not misconcieve this purpose by attaching 

 to our horses' feet any uncalled-for weight. Light shoes pro- 

 portioned to the weight of the animal and the nature of his 

 work, are infinitely preferable to heavy ones, for these latter are 

 a burden at best and a constant tax on the energies of a horse, 

 as is meaningly implied by the familiar snying " that an ounce 



