312 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



nature to meet the groimcl 6rst : and the plate of his improved 

 French shoe shows that he disapproves of the French curvature 

 towards the heels. 



Having given what I consider a sufficient description of the 

 French shoe, I shall make a short remark on Mr. Goodwin's 

 improvement, which consists in making the quarters and heels 

 on a level, and the reverse of the French shoe with regard to its 

 surfaces ; that is, Mr. G. directs the foot surface to be convex, 

 and the ground surface concave. This form of the foot surface 

 appears to me to originate in a very absurd notion with regard 

 to the foot : it was thought that, by making the surfiice on which 

 the foot rests incline or slope a little towards the outer edge, it 

 would promote the expansion or spreading of the hoof, or at all 

 events prevent that much-dreaded evil, contraction. This notion, 

 I believe, is fallacious ; both expansion and contraction must 

 be prevented by the nails, as far as they go ; and if any motion 

 takes place in the horn that is confined by them, it must be either 

 from a bending of the nails or from their becoming loose in their 

 situations. This notion of expanding the quarters and heels, by 

 making that part of the shoe on which they rest slope outwards, 

 is not only very old, but also very foolish, in my opinion, and 

 requires only an examination of the foot, and a little reflection, 

 to appear so. 



When the hoof becomes hot and dry, and consequently shrinks 

 or contracts, that contraction is genei'al, but takes place princi- 

 pally in those parts where there is least resistance, that is, at the 

 heels and quarters, and at the upper circle of the hoof, or coro- 

 nary band. 



This contraxition of the heels and coronary band must com- 

 press, and give pain to the sensible parts underneath, especially 

 in trottino;. The o;reat merit of the French shoe consists in its 

 placing no restraint upon the necessary motions of the hoof; 

 there are no nails in the heels, or in the moveable parts of the 

 quarters ; and instead of making the nail-holes near the outer 

 edge of the shoe, they are placed nearer the centime, and inclining 

 a little outward, so that the nails are driven through the lower 

 and stronger part of the hoof, where there is no danger of their 

 wounding or compressing the sensible parts. 



Lafosse, who was cotemporary with Bourgelat, and who 

 greatly distinguished himself, not only as a veterinary writer, 

 but as a practitioner of the art in all its branches, gives a de- 

 scription of the shoe he recommends for a sound foot, which is 

 the once celebrated half-moon shoe. This shoe was soon after 

 strongly reconnnended by Mr. Osmer, an eminent veterinary 

 practitioner and author of this country. For good feet, he says 

 the short shoe is the best; it should be made gradually thinner 

 from the toe to the extremities, and so short that both the heels 



