PREFACE. XV. 



I take, is this ; if the feet of my own horses expand to 

 their weight, wliich they most certainly do, the feet of other 

 horses would do so likewise, if they were similarly treated. 



The experiment in question is conducted, as follows : I 

 have two nicely planed boards, three quarters of an inch 

 thick, and about eight inches long by six and a half wide : 

 I find, that a board of this size is more easily commanded 

 by the hand of an assistant, than one of larger dimensions : 

 over these boards I stretch thick writing paper by first 

 thoroughly soaking it in water, and then placing it over one 

 face of the board, after which I paste the edges of the 

 board, and close the paper upon it : the whole dries together, 

 and adheres firmly to the surface of the board. One of the 

 boards has a triangular piece cut out of it, large enough to 

 admit the frog, and permit the heels of the hoof to touch 

 the paper ; without this precaution it would be impossible 

 to arrive at accuracy in di'awing the foot of a horse mth 

 a prominent fi-og, when the foot was off the ground : the 

 paper, which covers this space, must be cut through in 

 several directions, and the ends and edges pasted to the sides 

 of the hole : this board, so prepared, must be firmly held 

 to the bare foot by one assistant, while another holds up 

 the foot itself, and a flat, hard pencil with a fine pouit is 

 passed around the edge of the hoof Simple as this opera- 

 tion appears to be, I beg to assure my reader, that to do 



