TREATISE ON HORSESHOEING. 435 



sary to its health. Inflammation is produced, 

 which causes contraction and the consequent, 

 derangement of the whole foot. If the free 

 natural expansion of the foot, and the spreading 

 of the quarters in proportion to the growth of 

 the hoof is prevented by the nailing of the shoe, 

 irritation of the fleshy substance between the 

 crust and coffin-bone will result, and ultimately 

 create so much diseased action of the parts as 

 to cause contraction and navicular disease. 

 Shoes may be fastened without causing such 

 mischief, if the following method of nailing is 

 observed. 



In experimenting, for the purpose of ascer- 

 taining how few nails are absolutely necessary, 

 under ordinary circumstances, for retaining the 

 shoe securely in its place as long as it should 

 remain upon the foot, it has been satisfactorily 

 established that five nails are amply sufficient 

 for the fore shoes, and seven for the hind ones, 

 three should be placed on the outside of the 

 foot, and two on the inner side, near the toe, 

 thereby leaving the foot free to expand in a 



