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be removed, which are sometimes almost as hard and un- 

 yielding as a flint stone ; the frog on the other hand ofters 

 so little resistance to the knife, and presents such an even, 

 smooth, clean looking surface, when cut through, that it requires 

 more pliilosophy, than falls to the share of most smiths, to 

 resist the temptation to shce it away, despite a knowledge, 

 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 manifestly unwise to 

 remove as much from the sole 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 be 

 taken advantage of for removing more of the dead horn, in 

 order that the internal parts of the foot may derive 

 the full benefit arising from the elasticity of the sole ; a 

 state of things very essential to the due performance of 

 their separate functions. Again horses with upright feet 

 and liigh heels grow horn veiy abundantly especially towards 

 the toe ; and are always benefited by havuig the toe short- 

 ened, the heels lowered, and the sole pared out ; while 

 horses with flat feet and low heels grow horn sparingly ; 

 and the toe of such feet, being always weak, will admit of 

 very little shortening ; the heels, which are already too low. 



