344 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 



into some proximity to its original place. Whether we really 

 possess any such power as will effect this, may very properly be 

 made the subject of doubt; but that we can, by pressure and 

 support to the sole, prevent any further descent of it, should that 

 appear likely to happen, is beyond a question. A broad-web 

 shoe — such a one as Plomley's of Maidstone — is a good one for 

 this purpose; and this should be plugged internally with stopping, 

 intermingled with tow, the two together forming a compressible 

 pillow, upon which reposes with ease and firmness the as yet 

 tender sole of the foot. Over the stopping and tow should be 

 placed, and nailed on with the shoe, a stiff piece of sole leather. 

 Or, which some prefer, after the shoe is nailed on, a piece of 

 gutta percha, cut of smaller size than the circumference of the 

 shoe, may, after being softened in hot water, be kneaded in upon 

 the sole, over the stopping, with the thumb, and pressed around 

 the edge sufficiently underneath the web of the shoe to maintain 

 its hold, "With his foot thus shod, and cushioned, and protected, 

 the horse may return gradually to hard work. 



" Instead of the broad-web, heavy shoe, it may be advisable, in 

 a case where the foot is thin of horn and the crust apt to break 

 away, to substitute a shoe as light as it can be made consistent 

 with its purpose. A shoe made narrow but thick in the web will 

 sometimes be found to answer very well when used in conjunc- 

 tion with leather or gutta percha in the manner before directed, 

 such a shoe possessing the advantage of being held on by smaller 

 and fewer nails than the broad shoe requires. And when- 

 ever we meet with a foot of such description, with thin and weak 

 or brittle crust, we are not to be particular as to either the num- 

 ber of the nails used to keep the shoe on, or the situations they 

 occupy through the hoof; for sometimes it becomes necessary to 

 nail the shoe all round in order to fix it firmly for work, and to 

 make use, for the purpose, of double or even of triple the number 

 of (small) nails we ordinarily insert. In fact, if the horse is to 

 go to work in it, the shoe must be secured at any multiplicity 

 and variety of nailing, and clipping in addition, save that of doing 

 positive injury to the foot." 



