17 



as has been vulgarly apprehended, but those made concave next the 

 foot and flat below are with good reason preferred for most feet ; a wide 

 web also is advaiitageous in giving protection to the sole and an exten- 

 sive bearing upon the ground, which appears to impart ease to the 

 animal. In confirmation of this, I remember in the early part of the 

 establishraent of the Veterinary College, that the shoe was considered as 

 a niere defence to the wall to prevent its wearing or splintering, and the 

 shoes were ordered to be made accordingly, not much wider than the 

 wall, by which they would be rendered lighter; but they were soon laid 

 aside, being found very uneasy to the horse. As to the figure of the web, 

 if it does not touch the sole or approach too near it, any form is admis- 

 sible, but the above is perhaps on the whole the best. 



In the next place, the Pritchel Burs* and Bumps, in the upper surface 

 of the shoe are to be removed and levelled, that the circumference of the 

 sole immediately within the wall, which the smiths call the Vein, should 

 not be pressed upon; lamenesses fi'om this cause I have been witness to, 

 and on the removalof these roughnesses, the horse has gone perfectly well 

 again. 



The shoe being made flat is then presented to the foot; the French and 

 Spaniards however give it a curved figure, slightly turning up the toe and 

 heels, which is more conformable to the natural foot, but there is a diffi- 

 culty if the flat form is once departed from, of accurately fitting the 

 shoe to the foot, which much practice however may render more easy 

 than would at first appear. 



The French also not only make their shoes more cupped than ours in 

 their upper surface, but they beat up the iron round the outer edge of the 

 shoe, perhaps to save the hoof frora splintering, and for assisting the 

 nails. Their horses are also believed to go more freely, and to be more firm 

 footed than ours; it would be a proper object of enquiry to ascertain, whe- 

 ther this difference proceeds from the shoeing, or the coarser nature of 

 their horses feet, our horses in a general way having more of the blood than 

 theirs, are more elastic in their hoofs, and therefore sufl'er more from 

 the eftects of the iron. 



Their shoes are lightly turned down at both heels, making their cram- 

 pons, which made larger and stronger with us for the cart horses, are 



• Burs are splinters iibout llie cdges of Ihe Lolcs ; aml Bumps elevalions of tbe rattal Condensed by 

 the pritchel. 



