644 SHOEING. 



when the shod foot was placed on the floor ? I may be told that 

 such feet have been previously weakened by bad tshoeing and bad 

 care, and that a horse which never had been shod would not suffer in 

 this Avay. Those who make such assertions are entirely ignorant 

 of the anatomy and physiology of the foot. 



" My answer is, that Avhen a horse first comes to the world he 

 has no frog development, and for the first year of his life, while 

 walking on a level, can have no frog pressure. It is only animals 

 that are raised on low or marshy land that have a great develop- 

 ment of frog. Horses belonging to mountainous countries have 

 very little frog, and generally narrow or apparently contracted 

 feet, Avhich is no evidence of disease. Witness the ass and the 

 mule for example ; and I ma}^ add that although wide heels are 

 generally desirable, they are no evidence in themselves of perfect 

 health. •! am well aware that most thin heels, and generally thin 

 feet, have a large frog, but the depth of such a fi"Og is more apparent 

 than real, as it will be found on close investigation that the flexor 

 tendon and navicular structure arc lower or nearer the ground- 

 surface in such a foot. Therefore we must discriminate in all cases, 

 as one mistake may cause irreparable injury. To be definite, we 

 can safely give extra frog and heel pressure in all cases where the 

 hoof is deep at the quarters, where there is a tendency toward con- 

 traction and atrophy of the frog, where the obliquity of the pastern 

 is not too great, and where the feet and limbs are 2ierfectly sound and 

 well proportioned- 



" (This latter will narrow the circle more than most people are 

 aware of) ISTo thoughtful man would dare to throw extra weight 

 on the sole and frog of a foot that had long suffered with navicular 

 disease, however excellent this would be as a preventive. Neither 

 should we throw extra weight on the posterior parts of a foot or 

 limb where there is any soreness of flexor muscles or tendons, or 

 any ligament involved, as it would entail greater tension on the 

 parts, while the opposite is what is required, viz., flexion or relaxa- 

 tion. 



" I say distinctly, wc should only carry frog pressure to the 

 extent of bringing into activity all the elastic structures of the foot, 

 which increases the circulation of those parts so liable to atrophy, 

 and only through the circu{atio7i can we kee]) up or i-estore the 

 • health, vigor, and growth of frog, sole, heels, and quarters of the 

 horse's foot." ' 



Prof. McLellan says: — 



" In reference to the use of tips, I give you only an outline. 

 They are useful in the case of corns, in quarter-cracks, in thrush, 

 in interfering, and in fitting the horse to run at grass. They are 

 not applicable to feet that have thin, flat soles, with low heels. 

 They are not applicable to heavy work horses with flat feet and 

 prominent frogs (such frogs arc liable to suft'er bruises when so ex- 

 posed, the resulting inflammation extending frequently to deeper 



