AND MALFORMATIONS OF THE FEET. 81 



1st. Freedom is secured to the heels, which are 

 the most common seat of contraction. Whatever 

 a shoe may do, a tip cannot cause contraction at 

 the heels. 2nd. Concussion, and the evils and 

 diseases which arise from it, must be greatly 

 diminished by substituting for the jar of the iron 

 shoe against the ground, the natural and elastic 

 action of the heels and frog. 3rd. The heels and 

 frogs are strengthened and developed by being 

 brought more actively and prominently into work 

 and wear. 4th. The liability to slip is much less 

 in horses shod with tips than with any kind of 

 shoes, because the heels can perform their functions 

 much more perfectly when brought into actual 

 contact with the ground, than when elevated from 

 it by means of a shoe. The frog and bars are 

 from their structure evidently the natural stays of 

 the foot against slipping, and therefore, when they 

 are brought into actual contact with the ground at 

 each step, the liability to slip is much diminished. 



On this account it is suggested that tips might 

 be used with great advantage on the modern 

 square-cut pavement now in use in London and 

 other towns, on which we constantly see horses 

 shod on the present system slipping about in a 

 most helpless and dangerous manner. 



The principal objections urged against tips are, 

 1st. That they do not afford sufficient protection 

 to the foot ; that a horse, for instance, cannot with 



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