657 



an oblique, blunt, sometimes perpendicular cli}:), resting upon the 

 bars, which have been previously hollowed out for its reception, 

 the design of which is to resist the return of the hoof which has 

 been dilated, to its former contracted condition. Kuinien had 

 sj^oken of this shoe as early as 1618. It was put on, after the 

 dilatation of the hoof with the farrier's nippers, applied on each 



FiG. 505.— Shoe with Ears. 



Fig. 506.— Jarrier Spreader. 



side of the quarter, the sole being entirely removed. In oui- days 

 this operation of removing the sole is considered useless, and in- 

 stead of the nippers of the farrier, dilators are used, under the 

 name of spreaders (desencasteleur). The oldest kuo^vTi form is 

 that of Jarrier (Fig. 506). This is composed of two curved 

 branches, 11 centimetres in length, articulated at one of theu- ex- 

 tremities like the ordinary compass, at which point there is a 

 screw of peculiar form by which £he branches are closed or opened 

 at will, the other extremity having a strong claw projecting out- 

 ward. These claws are appUed inside of the bars, toward the 

 heels, which are previously thinned out, and by manipulating the 

 screw the hoof is dilated to the extent desired. The shoe is then 

 used like an ordinary one, both heels being armed with a clip on 

 the internal border, the clijps resting on the heels of the foot, 

 which have been first opened with the drawing knife. This mode 

 of treatment proved successful with Lafosse and others who ex- 

 perimented with it at the Saumiu' school. Under various experi- 

 ments, the desencasteleur has changed its form. Thus, Lafosse 

 has arranged the two branches to run separately upon a transversal 



