11)2 COMPENDIUM OV THE VETERINARY ART, 



obstacle to the expansion of the heels; and as 

 the crust is generally much thinner at the 

 quarters than at the toe, the sensible parts are 

 , more lia1)le to be wounded : but this does not 

 apply to the hind feet, in which the crust of 

 the quai'ters is generally thicker than that of 

 the toe. When a horse overreaches, if any 

 part of the shoe has no bearing upon the crust, 

 it is very liable to be struck by the toe of the 

 hind foot ; and shoes are often forced off in 

 this way. To this may be added the insecurity 

 of such a shoe when a horse is rode on a deep 

 or heavy ground. 



It will probably be observed of the shoe 

 which I have recommended, that it is incon- 

 sistent v/ith the principle which has been laid 

 down respecting the necessity of the frog's 

 receiving pressure. T believe it is an incontro- 

 vertible fact, that unless the frog receives a 

 certain degree of pressure, it will become 

 soft, and incapable of affording sufficient pro- 

 tection to the sensible frog, which it covers ; 

 and that the heels will gradually contract, and 

 the natural form of the foot will be destroyed : 

 for I have proved, by experiment, that the 

 bars alone are not sufficient to prevent con- 

 traction, though they certainly oppose it with 



