68 THE ART OF HORSE-SHOEING 



of Mr. Bracy Clark to the discovery of the expan- 

 sion of the horse's foot, I shall merely advert to one 

 more passage in Mr. Freeman's work, which is un- 

 noticed by the Editors of The Veterinarian, but 

 important, in case Mr. Clark should attempt to 

 argue that Mr. Freeman's views of the expansive 

 principle was limited, like those of his predecessors, 

 to the heels only, instead of the entire horny box 

 participating in the expansion. A short sentence 

 at page 3, and which I am astonished should have 

 escaped the eyes of the Reviewers, sets this matter 

 for ever at rest : " The hoof of the fore foot of the 

 horse produces an elasticity continued from the 

 quarters to the point of the toe.'' 



Now, with regard to the second question, the 

 nailed fetter, I am more personally concerned ; and 

 on which the Editors of Tjie Veterinarian have 

 hitherto been silent. Mr. Freeman, at page 81, re- 

 marks on the absolute necessity there is of puttino- 

 on plate shoes when an exact trial is required be- 

 tween race-horses ; and thus acutely observes 



£.?atror'For this, I think, there can be no'other reason 

 eifec{'«nhf than the increase of spring which is gained by the 

 hoLf."''""'"^ uddifional power of expansion given to his feet, 

 hy leaving the heels entirely unconjinedr In the 

 second leaf, this unpretending discoverer is content 

 to disclose to us the grand secret quietly. These 

 few plain words of his will sui^ice ; viz. " Upon 

 examining the race-horses' shoes, which had lor- 



