SHOEING. 1 9f 



considerable force; but it does not follow 

 from this that it is necessary for the pressure 

 to be constant, nor do I believe that a shoe 

 which allows the frog to bear upon the ground, 

 when the horse stands upon a plane hard surface, 

 can be always applied, even to sound feet, with- 

 out inconvenience. There can be no doubt 

 that a horse in a state of nature has his frog 

 almost always in contact with the ground, and 

 then of course he feels no inconvenience from 

 it; but when burdens are placed upon his 

 back, and he is driven about upon hard roads, 

 lie is certainly in very different circumstances ; 

 and if the frog in such cases were constantly 

 exposed to this severe pressure, it would some- 

 times, I believe, occasion lameness. 



In the foot, prepared for the shoe^ (J^ig"- 2» 

 Plate 1,) the frog and heels are on a level, and 

 if placed on a plane hard surface, would bear 

 equally ; by applying the shoe, (Fig. 3, Plate 4,| 

 the frog would be raised three- eii^^hths of aii 



inch from the ground; so tiiat when the horse 

 is going upon a hard surface, where he would 

 be most liable to feel inconvenience from the 

 pressure on the frog, it receives none; but 

 upon soft yielding ground the frog certainly 

 receives pressure, and without giving the ani^ 

 YOh, L K 



