98 HORSES AND ROADS. 



the brittle crust being unable to retain its hold of 

 the sole, which then becomes depressed ; and, as at 

 the same time the laminae, partaking of the general 

 disorder of the crust, of which they form the in- 

 terior, are unable to maintain the coffin bone in 

 due suspension, and are forced to allow it to follow 

 the descent of the sole, the horse becomes past cure, 

 and should be destroyed — or, rather, finish being 

 murdered. 



The fact that hard roads are beneficial to the 

 naked hoof is again substantiated by Mr. Douglas 

 in the following passage : ' When the frog is per- 

 mitted to remain sound and whole, the more it 

 comes in contact with gravel, stones, or even sharp 

 jiints, the firmer, tougher, and more healthy it 

 becomes ; while on the contrary, when cut with a 

 sharp instrument, allowing the moisture, which is 

 its life, to escape, it dries up, hardens ' — the frog, 

 unlike the crust, should not harden — ' cracks, and 

 becomes highly susceptible to every impression, as 

 well as diseased.' The same remarks hold good with 

 regard to the sole ; but Mr. Douglas withholds them 

 when speaking of the sole — perhaps he was not con- 

 vinced of that fact. Experience proves that the 

 crust also holds in contempt sharp flints, &c., when 

 it is fairly treated and inured to them. By fair treat- 

 ment it is meant that it should be let alone — 

 as a man's hands would be if he were a labourer 

 on a farm. In the colHery districts, where so many 

 women work with the shovel, their hands become 

 horny, as the doctors find out when they have to cut 



