34& ON THE ART OF SHOEING. 



formed, kept their feet by that means, in a bet- 

 ter and founder ftate than ever they had been 

 before ; and I was aflured by a gentleman laft 

 year, that he had long ridden his hackney, 

 fhod in that way, with all poflible fuccefs. — 

 Certain found and tough feet will endure to be 

 fo expofed ; and when the frog is good, and 

 in its natural ftate, its elaflicity preferves it 

 from harm ; it will even grow luxuriantly un- 

 der fuch rough ufage ; but I think it wrong to 

 have any part of the cruft uncovered, unlels as 

 an expedient to reduce too high, or widen too 

 narrow heels. 



La Foffe's famous method has lons[ been 

 proved generally impracticable ; but that which 

 originated from it, namely, Ofmer's improve- 

 ment, fmce adopted by St. Bel and others, far 

 enough from being in the fame predicament, is, 

 I am thoroughly convinced, not only practica- 

 ble for nine-tenths of our faddle, and all our 

 cart-horfes, without exception, but the only 

 fafe and proper way in which they can be (hod. 

 The one-tenth which form my exception, con- 

 fifl either of blood horfes with low heels, and 

 fcarce any frogs, or thofe with large, moid, and 

 fat frogs, or fuch as have running thruflies : I 

 have feen, of the firft, with heels comparatively 

 as tender as a bruifed apple, and with no frogs 

 to reach the ground, even whilft at grafs ; as to 

 the laft, every one knows they cannot travel 



the 



