SIMPLIFIED AND UNFKTTEllED. 71 



year old colt, and, to avoid extremes, instance the 

 hackney size, three parts bred, with well-formed 

 limbs, and sound hoofs of becoming size, neither 

 too flat and low, nor too upright and strong, to be 

 well shod in the ordinary way for the first time, 

 and with a seated shoe of equal thickness toe and 

 heels, secured by eight nails, four on each side or 

 quarter, as usual. From the very first moment that 

 this animal steps out of the forge upon the new 

 surface interposed between his foot and the ground, 

 his tread becomes uneven, although the foreign 

 body which is appended to the foot is perfectly 

 level. Now the elastic laminae also sustain the 

 weight in this fresh-shod colt, the impression of 

 which has a tendency to elongate the lamina? to the 

 same extent; but no, the fetter is upon the foot, 

 and the best formed shoe that the art of man can 

 devise, if nailed to both sides and quarters of the 

 hoof, according to the mode in general use, will, 

 from that very hour, limit, though it cannot alto- 

 gether deprive the laminae of their elongation. 

 The laminae covering the anterior and lateral por- 

 tion of the coffin bone, will, on the instant, suffer 

 some deprivation of function, just barely sufficient 

 to disturb the harmony of the mechanism. The 

 horny sole, however, notwithstandino- the rioidity Partial or im- 



•^ ' _ ^ ^ ^ . peifi-ct descent 



of the shoe and nails, will continue to descend in °f =*o'e- 

 part, and will yield to the impression of weight 

 and force united. It is this partial or imperfect 



