554 HORSE-SHOES AND HORSE-SHOEING. 



theory of Bracy Clark, whose ideas of the functions of the 

 horse's foot became at last so exaggerated, that he could not 

 devise any mode of shoeing that would not inflict injury on 

 that organ. The treatise we have just noticed cannot, 

 therefore, be said to afford us any signs of improvement 

 in the art of shoeing, except in the matter of reducing 

 the number of nails ; and is chiefly composed of materials 

 derived from various sources, some of them not very 

 reliable. 



It is a pleasure in turning to the next work, wTitten 

 by Colonel Fitzwygram,' to find a more rational and 

 common-sense method of managing the foot and shoeing 

 it. This treatise, founded as it is on the long experience 

 and enlightened observation of Army Veterinary Surgeon 

 Hallen, is perhaps the best on shoeing which this century 

 has produced. It reminds one very much of Lafosse's mas- 

 ter-piece, and indeed it only repeats the truths that able 

 veterinarian first promulgated with regard to the propriety 

 and method of maintaining the horse's foot in a sound 

 condition. The leading principle is the entire conserva- 

 tion of sole and frog, which are not to be foolishly tam- 

 pered with, and the maintenance of the wall or crust in all 

 its integrity. The shoe recommended is that proposed by 

 Mr Goodwin, with the single exception, perhaps, that in- 

 stead of the upper surface following the concavity of the 

 sole, it was to be flat. The ground surface, with the bent- 

 up toe, was the same. This treatise, which, so far as the 

 management of the foot is concerned, is calculated to do 

 much good, is yet somewhat marred by an error that, 

 •though apparently unimportant, yet in reality is not so. 



' Notes on Shoeing Horses, and edition, 1863. 



