CHAPTER lY. 



LEATHER ANT) RUl^.BER SOLES, ETC. 



These soles are either nailed on, and, therefore, remain in 

 position until the next shoeing, or are slipped in and out 

 between the limbs of the shoe. 



Until comparatively recently only leather soles were in use, 

 the object being to protect weak soles or diminish the pressure 

 of the shoe on the hoof, which had been either excessively 

 worn away or thinned with the knife. Ftubber pads are quite 

 a modern production. Following rubber came a series of 

 materials, such as cork, straw, tarred rope, felt, bast, hemp, 

 wood fibre, etc. \Miatever the nature of the material, the 

 purpose is to diminish or remove the disadvantages resulting 

 from shoeing, especially in horses used on hard pavements. 

 As one such contrivance has little advantage over another, 

 they may here be considered in general. All, to a greater or 

 less extent, (1) prevent slipping and falling on smooth pave- 

 ments, (2) check desiccation of the sole, (3) prevent balling of 

 snow in the foot, (4) diminish concussion, (5) favour expansion 

 of the foot, and (6) guard against picking up nails. 



Leather pads transmit to the sole, frog, and bars some of the 

 weight which would otherwise fall on the wall and increase the 

 functional activity of tliese parts. In a degree, therefore, they 

 restore the hoof to the normal unshod condition. Eemember- 

 ing that many diseased conditions, like contracted hoof, sand- 

 crack of the wall or bars, corns, etc., are ameliorated, if not 

 cured, by removing the shoes and turning the horse out, the 

 improvement produced by artificial soles is more easily under- 

 stood. When used with suitable shoes they provide a means 

 not only of arresting the bad results of shoeing, but also of 

 curinii foot diseases while allowinj^r the animal to work. 

 Expansion of the hoof follows their use. Nevertheless, they 



