73 



it only remains to notice that, between the surface 

 of the coffin bone and the interior surface of the 

 , crust, there are an immense number of horny 

 laminae, of a cartilaginous nature, radiating from 

 the base of the hoof towards the coronet, the object 

 of which is to contribute to the elasticity of th- 

 tread ; so anxiously has nature provided in every 

 jpart of this useful animal, to adjust his physical 

 ' structure to that severe and peculiar exertion which 

 i is required by the labour to which he is subjected. 

 I The remark which I have already made on this 

 i point cannot be too strongly impressed on the 

 mind ; that this excess of precaution in the natural 

 arrangement of the foot, to guard it against the 

 jar of violent concussion, should guide the farrier 

 to observe it as a principle in shoeing, that its 

 elasticity is to be preserved to the utmost extent 

 possible, consistently with the protection which 

 the iron is intended to give to the crust. 



An easy mode of preserving the elasticity, is 



by allowing a small space to remain between the 



shoe and the quarters, or that part of the hoof 



where the bars begin ; the separation between the 



. iron and the hoof at this point, should not be less 



I than the eighth of an inch. When the horse is 



I shod in this manner, it is easy to observe the 



elastic character of the foot. When the foot is 



