SOLE PARING. 547 



ledge that it would be far wiser to leave it alone. It 

 would be impossible to frame any rule applicable to 

 the paring out of all horses' feet, or indeed to the feet 

 of the same horse at all times. For instance, it is mani- 

 festly unwise to pare the sole as thin in a hot dry season, 

 when the roads are broken up and strewed with loose 

 stones, as in a moderately wet one, when they are well 

 bound and even ; for, in the former case, the sole is in 

 perpetual danger of being bruised by violent contact with 

 the loose stones, and consequently needs a thick layer of 

 horn for its protection ; while the latter case offers the 

 most favourable surface that most of our horses ever 

 have to travel upon, and should he taken advantage of 

 fur a thof'ough paring out of the sole, in order that the 

 internal parts of the foot may derive the full benefit 

 arising from an elastic and descending sole, a state of 

 things very essential to the due performance of their 

 separate functions. Again, horses with upright feet and 

 high heels grow horn very abundantly, especially towards 

 the toe, and are always benefited by having the toe 

 shortened, the heels lowered, and the sole well pared out ; 

 while horses with flat feet and low heels grow horn 



sparingly In the first case the thickness of the 



sole prevents the due descent of the cofiin-bone when the 

 horse's weight is thrown upon the foot, and it requires in 

 consequence to be pared down thinner and rendered more 

 yielding ; while in the latter case it is already so thin and 

 unresisting, that it can with difficulty support the coffin- 

 bone in its proper place, and offers at best but a feeble 

 resistance to its downward tendency.' 



Here we have this writer recommending that sound 



35* 



