THE HORSE AND ITS DISEASES. . 71 



the Irish, and the last nail is always the smallest ; also, 

 one man holds up the foot, while the other man drives 

 the nails. 



Osmer's Shoe. 



Mr. Osmer was originally a surgeon, possessed of a 

 strong mind, with great marks of originality — his 

 thoughts on shoeing were offered about 1760. Osmer 

 considered the bars and frog as essential parts, and 

 particularly insisted on the propriety of that soft elastic 

 part remaining uncut, the loose ragged portions only 

 being removed. 



He likewise observed, that some persons mistaking 

 La Fosse, (who blamed the improper cutting away the 

 sole and frog) had gone into the contrary extreme, and 

 suffered the feet to grow to a preposterous length. The 

 feet of all horses, he remarks, ought to be pared according 

 to their length. The shoe he recommended was to be 

 made quite fiat on the under surface, of an equal thick- 

 ness throughout its outer margin, and to prevent its 

 pressing on the sole, that is, levelled away not from the 

 edge, but from about half its width, by which means it 

 would leave a flat surface for the attachment of the crust. 

 His further directions were, that every shoe should stand 

 wider at the heel than any other part. 



Mr. James Clarke's Shoe. 



IS'ot very long after La Fosse and Osmer had awakened 

 the attention of the public to shoeing, Mr. Clarke, of 

 Edinburgh, published his treatise on this subject. 



This gentleman's shoe did not materially differ from 

 the one recommended by Osmer, and is used by many of 

 the most intelligent of our farriers, but his remarks more 

 forcibly pointed out the improprieties generally practiced. 

 It is plain likewise that Lord Pembroke borrowed many 

 of his ideas from him. Mr. Clarke's principles rested on 

 recommending no unnecessary paring or cutting, either 

 of the hoof or frog, nor did he allow of raising the heels 

 with calkins, except in hilly countries. 



