314 THE HORSE. 



riers or keepers of horses, can give any account of it, 

 by whom, or at what period, it was introduced. I 

 have been informed generally, that it may have been 

 in use about two or three years. I sent an account 

 of it, which was inserted in the July Sporting Maga- 

 zine, to the following purport. " The sock is com- 

 posed of prepared hair, first immersed in a mixture 

 which imparts to it perpetual moisture, affording a 

 regular and even pressure on every part of the under 

 surface of the hoof. The sock, or padding, is placed 

 next the sole ; the leather sole upon the sock exactly 

 fitting the whole foot, filling up the cavities between 

 the bars and frog, so completely, it is warranted, that 

 it is impossible for the smallest quantity of grit to 

 work in between the sole and the leather." Mr Tat- 

 tersall has lately made trial of this method, and I 

 spoke with a gentleman at Haynes's livery stables, 

 near Regent Street, then j ust mounting his hack so 

 shod, with which it had succeeded perfectly well. 

 In the common practice, however, I understand, the 

 sock, or padding, is nothing more than a piece of 

 sheep's skin with the wool, or a quantity of tow. 

 The prepared and immersed hair, as above, is said 

 to be the discovery of Mr. D. Woodin, who has 

 a forge at Upper Park Place, Regent's Park; in 

 Gloucester Mews, King Street Portman Square; and 

 George Yard, Long Acre ; and who has the greatest 

 share, in London, of this kind of practice. There 

 seems rather a general inclination, in the veterinary 

 faculty to depreciate, or make light of this improve- 

 ment, as possibly beneficial only to thin soled and 

 tender footed horses, but of no use whatever in case 

 of injury to the internal structure of the foot. But 



