396 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY. 



the seating as the strength and security of the web will 

 permit. The nails will consequently have a natural ten- 

 dency to take an inward direction, and therefore will have 

 a firmer hold, and be divested of that strain to Avhich they 

 are subjected in the common shoe. 



We have given a representation of the under-surface of 

 this shoe, plate xi. fig. 2. 



THE SEATED SHOE. 



PLATE XI. Fig. 3. 



The seated shoe is of an equal thickness, perfectly flat, 

 and parallel from the toe to the heel ; only varying in 

 width according to the form of the hoof to which it is to be 

 applied, and similar to the ordinary shoe in the fullering, 

 nailing, &;c. The foot-surface, however, differs, in having a 

 narrow plain rim, about the same width as the thickness of 

 the crust, extending round the edge of the shoe, except at 

 the heel, where it presents a flat surface, to the extent of an 

 inch ; the other part of the shoe is hollowed out, bevelling 

 from the inner edge of the seat, making it thin except at 

 the heel, which is of the same thickness throughout. The 

 intention is that the crust should bear upon and be supported 

 by the seat of the shoe. The nail-holes are situated in the 

 inner part of the seat, but the nailing is the same in 

 principle as the common shoe. 



The advantage of this shoe over the ordinary one is that 

 of the crust resting on a flat surface instead of an inclined 

 plane ; and as it bears on the edge, it is less liable to induce 

 contraction. But with that advantage, yet there are several 

 objections to it. The shoe being flat without the proper 

 degree of curvature, and the mode of fastening by pitching 

 the nails inward, is equally destructive to the crust, although 



