THE CONCAVE-SEATED SHOE. 395 



when the foot of the anhnal is placed on the ground, and is 

 unable to bear constant or even temporary pressure for any 

 length of time ; and if it bears upon the shoe, the sensible 

 sole between the coffin-bone and horny external sole would 

 be so much bruised as to occasion lameness, and if long 

 continued it would be of a very serious character. Work- 

 ing horses too early has a strong tendency to flatten the 

 natural concavity of the sole, and may induce a disposition 

 to continued descent. This bevelling of the concave shoe 

 prevents the possibility of injury or sinking of the sole. If 

 the feet are pumiced, the shoe must have an extra degree of 

 bevelling to protect them. 



When shoes are flat, gravel and dirt constantly insinuate 

 themselves and lodge there, and are certain upon a journey 

 to bruise and injure the foot ; but in bevelled shoes, it is 

 hardly possible for either to remain between the sole and 

 foot, as they would naturally be shaken out every time the 

 foot comes in contact with the ground. 



Another advantage in this shoe is that the web is of that 

 proper thickness, that when the crust is properly pared the 

 prominent part of the frog will lie immediately within and 

 above its ground surface, permitting the frog to rest suffici- 

 ently on the ground, so as to act as a wedge, and produce a 

 tendency to expansion in the quarters ; while at the same 

 time it is protected from the injury it would sustain if it 

 reached the ground with the full and first shock of the 

 weight. In the common shoe the ground surface is a little 

 convex, and its inward rim first comes in contact with* the 

 ground ; so that the weight, instead of resting fairly on the 

 crust, is sustained by the clenches and nails, which cannot 

 fail to be prejudicial to the crust, and must often tear and 

 splinter it. 



The nail-holes must be situated as near the outer edge of 



