76 HORSES AND ROADS. 



than all his far-fetched inventions. On the other 

 hand, it is refreshing to find him speak thus : 

 ' The practice of hot fitting and clipping ' — that 

 is, raising a clip on the toe, and sometimes also 

 on both quarters — ' is very destructive. Burning 

 the sole will, in time, partially destroy the sensi- 

 tive laminae, and impair the membranous lining 

 underneath the coffin bone, as well as close the 

 pores of the horn, causing the roof to become hard, 

 dry and brittle. It also impedes, as a necessary con- 

 sequence, the healthy growth of the hoof.' 



'The advocates of hot fitting present many 

 specious reasons for the furtherance of this practice. 

 It is alleged that shoes cannot be fitted so rapidly 

 nor as closely by any means other than that of 

 hot fitting ; and this is generally true, for, by this 

 means, the hoof is burned to correspond with the 

 inequalities which occur on the surface of the shoe, 

 until the latter is thoroughly imbedded in the horn. 

 On the other hand, however, this fusing of the horn 

 is in opposition to its right growth and operation, 

 and is the prolific source of many evils and abuses.' 



Although a veterinary surgeon certifies to the cor- 

 rectness of the anatomical descriptions contained in 

 the book, we may premise that he does not guarantee 

 everything else ; or we should scarcely meet with 

 such a passage as this : ' The shoe should ordinarily 

 be perfectly flat on the ground-wearing part, but is 

 to be worn concave on the surface next the foot, else 

 it will be apt to produce lameness by pressing on 

 the sole. I have shown that, in a sound foot, the 



