ON THE ART OF SHOEING. 373 



rather touch the fole, but to be hammered hol- 

 low externally. The horfe may be expected 

 to flinch a little from the fhoe fetting fome- 

 what upon the fole ; but beware he be not 

 pricked. Every time of change, the fhoes are 

 to be made ftill ftraighter at the toe, which is 

 to be kept fhort, but not at the quarters ; and in 

 three or four times changing, the author pro- 

 mifes an amendment in the (hape of the feet. 

 I have never experienced this, nor have I much 

 opinion of its utility, or of any meafures tend- 

 ing to throw nature out of her deft ined courfe 

 by violence. A foot naturally flat and thin, 

 will be Co ftill, or rendered worfe, by forcible 

 attempts at amendment. The only practice to 

 be depended upon, I believe, in this cafe, is to 

 keep the toe as fhort as poflible, never to di- 

 minifh the fubftance of the cruft, fole, or bind- 

 ers, and to fhoe always in bars, making ufe of the 

 fmalleft nails. Our modern Englilh bar fhoe is 

 a judicious improvement of the ancient planche, 

 or pancelet, of which Blundville and others 

 had fo high an opinion, for ftrengthening and 

 giving fubftance to weak feet. The late Doc- 

 tor Snape, farrier to his Mnjefly, had a very 

 ingenious hand at forging this kind of fhoe, as 

 I have often experienced. 



Joint-shoes for all feet, vaulted fhoes for 

 pomiced or convex foles, patten fhoes, lunettes, 

 or half-moons, thick at heel, thofe with a but- 



b b 3 ton 



