6.30 HORSE-SHOES AND HORSE-SHOEING. 



form of the hoofs, on their texture, on the true or false 

 disposition of the limbs, or on the horse's natural move- 

 ments. 



And in this century, the exaggerated and mistaken 

 notions prevailing with regard to the elastic properties of 

 the foot have done much to perpetuate the mischief. 

 Apparently overlooking the fact, that a large portion of 

 the inferior part of the hoof is closely filled with inelastic 

 bone (the os pedis) ; that the wings of this bone, which is 

 of a crescent shape, extend to the very extremity of the 

 heels, and that the inflections of the wall, termed the bars, 

 are attached to the inner face of these wings, it has yet 

 been stoutly maintained that this portion of the foot was 

 largely capable of dilatation and contraction, and that these 

 movements actually occurred during progression. The 

 sole, too, descended and ascended, and the whole inferior 

 surface of the horse's extremity was a wonderfully con- 

 trived resilient apparatus, whose freedom must not only 

 be uninterrupted, but facilitated. 



Paring the sole until the blood was nearly or quite 

 oozing through, and sometimes applying extreme pres- 

 sure to the frog, were the means employed to keep the 

 foot in a natural condition ; and to prevent the then ex- 

 tremely sensitive sole from being bruised by coming in 

 contact with the shoe, as well as to permit its easy descent, 

 the upper surface of the shoe was bevelled off so as to 

 leave a wide space in this vulnerable region, and the whole 

 strain of the weight and movement thrown on the crust 

 or wall alone. 



The result was, that the hoofs, instead of contracting 

 and expanding, as it was erroneously believed they ought 



