SHOEING HORSES. 



141 



tending forward to the centre of the foot is a continuation of 

 the upright shell, which is bent forward, and imperceptibly 

 runs into the sole at the point of the frog, and is called the 

 bars. The spaces between the bars and frog are called 

 commisures, which are peculiarly sharp but strong arches, 

 that commence abruptly at the heel, uniting the bars to the 

 frog, and running out imperceptibly to the level of the sole 

 at the point of the frog. 



These clefts, with the soft, yielding character of the frog, 

 give a singularly perfect means of com- 

 pressible elasticity and security to the quar- 

 ters; and with the soft, spongy frog be- 

 tween the heels, the best possible means of 

 protecting the bones and tendons of the 

 heel from being bruised or injured by con- 

 cussion against the ground. The wall or 

 upright part is in structure like a bundle of 

 hairs or splinters of whalebone glued to- 

 gether ; the outside surface being hard and 

 bony, while the inside surface runs into a 

 soft, yielding, but muscular structure that 

 unites it to that of the coffin-bone. This 

 is intended to be worn away at the bottom 

 as it grows. If it is not worn off, it will ex- 

 tend down below the sole, preserving its 

 own relation of thickness and form, and 

 must be cut away with a knife or other 

 means. It is to this wall of horn that the 

 shoe is fitted and united. The sole and 

 frog scale, and break off, in proportion to the increase of 

 growth, and do not, when in health, require touching by the 

 smith. 



I have with me a manikin of the foot, showing all its parts 

 plainly, every bone, tendon, nerve, artery, vein, natural 

 divisions of the hoof, &c., which enables a better idea of 

 its wonderful mechanism than can be shown by cuts, or any 

 amount of labored verbal description. This I will cheerfully 

 exhibit to the class, if desired, and explain the parts in detail 

 to them. I have also models to illustrate the treatment for 

 bringing the foot back to its natural form as desired, and thus 

 of easily curing the worst condition of contraction of either 



(No. 6.) 



A front view of the 

 tendons of the 

 foot. 



