204 COMPENDIUM OF THE VETERINARY ART. 



heavy load, not only his own weight, but great 

 part of that which he is drawing also, is thrown 

 iilciiiiately upon his feet; and as the fore feet 

 support by far the greatest share, it is not at all 

 ustonishino- that the crust should sometimes ofive 

 way ; for though it possesses sufficient strength 

 for the purposes of the animal in a state of na- 

 ture, yet that strength is limited, and not always 

 adequate to the heavy burdens which the 

 crust has to sustain. ^Vhen the sole becomes 

 fiat or convex, it is rendered also thinner than 

 it is naturally, and sometimes so much so, as 

 to yield easily to. the pressure of the finger. 

 The sole in this state is of course incapable of 

 affording sufficient protection to the sensible 

 sole, which is then closely in contact w^ith it; 

 and if it be exposed to pressure, lameness 

 must be the consequence. It is almost super- 

 fluous to observe, that the flat shoe would be 

 ijl adapted to a foot of this description : it 

 becomes necessary in this case to apply one 

 that is concave on its internal surface, that 

 the sole may not receive any pressure from it, 

 and of sufficient width to protect the sole as 

 much as can be done from the pressure of the 

 ground. In Plate 4, Fig. 1, this shoe is repre* 

 seated, in i^iiicb if may be observed, thai 



