342 ON THE ART OF SHOEING. 



of our horfcs perform their dutv, unlefs the 

 whole fubftance be pared away to make room 

 for a fuccedaneum of iron. The cream of the 

 jeft is, there flill exifts a race of Don Quixotes, 

 ready to ftake life, limb, and property, in fup- 

 port of thefe precious truths, and to fight it 

 out " mordicus to death." 



But to return to arming the feet of horfes, 

 inftead of the heads of fcholars and politi- 

 cians. 



The foot of the horfe is furrounded and de- 

 fended in front, fides, and at bottom, by the 

 horny foal, an ungular fubftance, thicker than 

 the human, in proportion as the animal is 

 larger. The heels partake of the fame kind of 

 defence, but of a thinner texture. The foot 

 being open at the back, and not furrounded by 

 the firm foal, as in front, is obvioufly in need 

 of fupport : and the frog is deftined by nature 

 to that office, on which account, and as having 

 fo large a portion of the general mafs to fuf- 

 tain, particularly whilft the animal is in a ftate 

 of inaction, it is compofed of a very tough and 

 elaftic fubftance. The frog, moreover, ferves 

 as a cufhion, reft, or falient point, for the ten- 

 don of the flexer mufcle, or back finews. The 

 bars, or binders, are thofe parts fituated between 

 the heel and frog, and which, by a mutual re^ 

 fiftance from within, help to dilate and oppofe 

 f;he contraction of the heels. The horny, de- 

 fends. 



