ON THE ART OF SHOEING. 369 



he attributed to the compreflion made upon the 

 internal parts of the feet, by the common con- 

 cave, long, and heavy (hoes ; and that from the 

 fame caufe chiefly proceed moll of the difeafes 

 of the feet, founder, hoof-binding, narrow heels, 

 foul thrufhes, bleime, high foles, and the like. 

 I have been long convinced of the truth of 

 this obfervation. 



As to the difpofition of the nail-holes, every 

 farrier knows that in the fore-feet, the toe is 

 thickeft and (Iron^eR • in the hinder feet, the 

 heels ; according to the French proverb, quoted 

 by Blundville, devant derrier, dcrrier devant — 

 before behind, behind before. 



There is a complaint of very ancient (land- 

 ing, againft fmiths, for needlefsly multiplying 

 nail-holes, and making their nails too large ; 

 by which the cruft is fo torn, as fcarce to leave 

 found fpace to drive a nail. It is the cafe even 

 now with many of our country (hoers, who 

 are not fatisfied unlefs theyjkewer on the (hoes. 

 Old Blundeville's directions herein are not amifs, 

 who fays, the nail-heads (hould be fquare, and 

 not fo broad beneath as above, but anfwerable 

 to the pierced holes, which they {hould fill ; 

 and above which they (hould not appear more 

 than the thicknefs of the back of a knife. — 

 The (hanks of the nails to be fomewhat flat, 

 differ towards the head than below, and the 

 points (harp, without hollownefs or flaw. As 



vol. 1. b b to 



