232 ON VETERINARY MEDICINE 



prejudice and pertinacious impudence of the 

 ftable gentry, have at length learned to defpife 

 it as it merits, and to judge for themfelves. 



By the experiment of weakening, or lower- 

 ing the (hoe heels, in order to bring a deficient 

 frog into conta6l with the ground, however 

 gradually I proceeded, I have lamed feveral 

 horfes. It is fufficiently obvious, that, by fuch 

 means, the back-finews, as they are commonly 

 flyled, muft be expofed to unufual extenfion. 

 Such a plan is perhaps fcarcely ever eligible, 

 excepting indeed, when neceflary to reduce the 

 feet to their proper level, in the fortunate cafe 

 of a natural luxuriance of growth in the frog, 

 which it is the epidemic madnefs of farriers and 

 fmiths to cut away, in order to the miferable 

 and ufelefs fubftitute of a thick-heeled (hoe. 

 The friftion of our hard roads, indeed of any 

 roads, will always keep within bounds, the moft 

 luxuriant frogs. In the firft flioeing a colt, it 

 is of the utmoft importance, that his frogs, if 

 he have a fufficient growth of them, (which is 

 not always the cafe) be brought to touch the 

 earth, not, however, by the ufe of any meafures 

 of force, or fetting the foot in an unnatural and 

 uneven pofition : the paring around, or mode- 

 rately lowering the cruft of the foot, when fo 

 deep as lo comprefs and injure the growth of 

 the frog, is yet, not only perfeftly fafe, but 

 highly neceflary. It v/ili foon appear, whether 



the 



