5o8 HORSE-SHOES AND HORSE-SHOEING. 



in general with excessive heavy and clumsy, ill-shaped 

 shoes, and very many nails, to the total destruction of the 

 foot. The cramps (French crampon, Anglice calkin) they 

 annex tend to destroy the bullet (fetlock — Fr. boiilet),^n(\ 

 the shoes, made in the shape of a walnut-shell, prevent the 

 horse s walking upon the firm basis which God has given 

 him for that end, and thereby oblige him to stumble and 

 fall. They totally pare away, also, and lay bare the inside 

 of the animal's foot with their detestable butteris, and 

 afterwards put on very long shoes, whereby the foot is 

 hindered from having any pressure at all upon the heels, 

 which pressure might still perchance, notwithstanding 

 their dreadful cutting, keep the heels properly open, and 

 the foot in good order.' 



Mr Clark informs us that, in his day, horses in the 

 North and West parts of Scotland, and in Wales, went 

 always without shoes, and ' performed all manner of work 

 without any detriment to their hoofs, which, from being 

 accustomed to go bare, and rubbing or touching fre- 

 quently against hard bodies, like the hands of a labouring 

 man, they acquire a callousness and obduracy which 

 greatly adds to their firmness.' In Prussia, too, it was 

 only customary t@ shoe them on the fore-feet. ' In Ger- 

 many they use thick, heavy, strong shoes, with three 

 cramps or caukers, one on each heel and one on the toe 

 of the shoe.' 



In describing the anatomy of the foot, he explains 

 that ' in the middle of the frog is a longitudinal cleft or 

 opening, hj which the heels have a small degree of con- 

 traction and expansion at every tread ivhich the horse 

 makes upon the ground;' and, speaking of the hoof, he 



