YOUATTS ERRORS. 537 



of the internal and sensible frog. . . . We have said enough 

 to show the absurdity of the common practice of un- 

 sparingly cutting it away. To discharge, in any degree, 

 some of the offices which we have assigned to it, and fully 

 to discharge even one of them, it must come in occasional 

 contact with the ground. In the unshod horse it is con- 

 stantly so ; but the additional support given by the shoes, 

 and more especially the hard roads over jvhich the horse is 

 noiv compelled to travel, render this complete exposure of 

 the frog to the ground not only unnecessary, but injurious. 

 Being of so much softer consistence than the rest of the 

 foot, it would be speedily ivorn away : occasional pressure, 

 however, or contact with the ground, it must have. The 

 rough and detached parts should be cut off at each shoe- 

 ing, and the substance oj the frog itself, so as to bring it 

 just above or within the level of the shoe. It will then, in 

 the descent of the sole, when the weight of the horse is 

 thrown upon it in the putting down of the foot, descend 

 likewise, and pressing upon the ground, do its duty; 

 while it will be defended from the wear, and bruise, and 

 injury which it would receive if it came upon the ground 

 with the first and full shock of the weight. A few smiths 

 carry the notion o^frog pressure to an absurd extent, and 

 leave the frog beyond the level of the sole, — a practice 

 which is dangerous in the horse of slow draught, and de- 

 structive to the hackney or hunter.' 



We can see that Mr Youatt differs widely from La- 

 fosse in his opinion of the functions, utility, and manage- 

 ment of the frog ; and he evidently writes from very 

 superficial observation or hearsay evidence. 



His ideas as to the function of the sole are also stamped 



