14 



should scarcely be touched with the rasp ; and the sole presents 

 so little dead horn, that the knife should be used with great 

 discretion. 



In the first case the thickness of the sole prevents the due 

 descent of the coffin bone, when the horse's weight is thrown 

 upon the foot ; and it requires in consequence to have the dead 

 horn removed, to render it more yielding ; while m the latter 

 case it is already so thin and unresisting, that it can with 

 difficulty support the coffin bone m its proper place, and offers 

 at best but a feeble resistance to its downward tendency. 



The consideration of the foregoing circumstances will show 

 the impracticability of prescribing general du-ections, capable of 

 meeting the exigences of every case, and the futihty of attempting 

 to establish one particular mode of paring out aU feet ; one 

 particular mode of applying the shoes ; or one particular form 

 of shoe. They must each in its turn be varied, to meet the 

 degree of deviation, from what may be called a perfect foot. 

 Perfect feet, or indeed tolerably well formed feet with a fair 

 o-rowth of horn should have the toe shortened, the heels low- 

 ered, and the sole pared out ; that is, all the dead horn 

 removed, and, if need be, some of the hving too, until it Avill 

 yield in some slight degree to very hard pressure from the 

 thumb. 



The corners, formed by the junction of the crust and bars, 

 should be freed from dead horn particularly on the inside, for 

 this is the common seat of corn ; and any accumulation of horn 

 ui this situation mcreases the risk of bruismg the sensible 

 sole between the inner point or heel of the cofl&n bone and 

 the horny sole. I very much doubt either the utility or 



