i6o Tihe CompleatHorJeman : or y 



that, on the contrary, they take away the whole 

 ftrength of the Foot, which fhould have been left 

 altogether whole, and which is done if you open 

 not the Heels, nor with the Butteris hollow the 

 Quarters, but that you leave the Sole ftrong, and 

 let the Heel keep its full roundnefs : I {hall have a 

 great many People againft me for maintaining this 

 Propofition, becaufe moft Perfons, at leaft all the 

 Smiths fay, that the Heels are to be opened ; but 

 that which they call opening the Heels, is down- 

 right taking away theftrength of the feed, to weaken 

 it, and put it in a condition to be foon Hoof-bound : 

 but I would ask thofe Gentlemen, if their Horfes 

 fhod after that manner, do not become Hoof-bound, 

 for I daily fee thofe Horfes Hoof-bound whofe Heels 

 have been kept very open after their fafhion *, and t 

 maintain, that of all the Horfes whofe Heels I have 

 caufed to be taken down reafonably, and afterwards 

 fhod, caufing the Shoe to follow the roundnefs of 

 the Foot, juft to the corner of the Frufh, and keep- 

 ing their Soles ftrong, not one of them became 

 Hoof-bound. The proof of it is eafy, and if you 

 miflike it, take you to your old method again •, but 

 I am fure you will continue this manner of Shoeing, 

 when once you have made tryal of it : This which 

 I affirm is grounded upon Reafon, for the Horn 

 followeth the form of the Shoe, becaufe it is more 

 folid than the Horn, and forces it to follow its 

 ftape when it grows : But if there be appearance 

 that the Horfe's Heel will become narrow, then the 

 fureft way is to fhoe him with a half Tanton-fooej 

 which is to turn the branch of the Shoe in towards 

 the Horfe's Foot, as it is explained in the following 

 Chapter, for that Shoe will keep his Quarters in a 

 condition to open and become wider-, the Horn 

 growing, the Heel openeth, and therefore cannot 

 ftraiten, and fo the Foot will continue well-fhaped ; 

 for the Shoe which you put upon it will open the 



Heel, 



