THE uoKojMEr 295 



consequences in the internal part of the foot. If there is a depres 

 rion or hollow in front of the foot, it betrays a sinking of the 

 coffin-bone, and a flat or pumiced sole. If there is a hollow at 

 the quarters, it is the worse system of bad contraction. 



The thickness of the crust, in the front of the foot, is rather 

 more than half an inch ; it becomes gradually thirmer towards 

 the quarters and heels, but this oflen varies to a considerable 

 extent. In some hoofs, it is not more than half the above thick- 

 ness. If however there is not, in the majority of horses, more 

 than half an inch for naU'hold at the toe, and not so much at the 

 quarters, it will not appear surprising that these horses are occa- 

 sionally wounded in shoeing, and especially as some of them are 

 very unmanageable while undergoing this process. 



WhUe the crust becomes thinner towards both quarters, it is 

 more so at the inner quarter than at the outer, because more 

 weight is thrown upon it than upon the outer. It is more under 

 the horse. It is under the imier splint-bone, on which so much 

 more of the weight rests than on the outer ; and, being thiimor, 

 it is able to expand more. Its elasticity is called m^re into play, 

 and concussion and injury are avoided. When the expansion 

 of the quarters is prevented by their being nailed to an unbend- 

 ing shoe, the inner quarter suffers most. Corns are oftenest 

 found there ; contraction begins there ; sand-crack is seated 

 there. Nature meant that this should be the most yielding part, 

 in order to obviate concussion, because on it the weight is prin- 

 cipally thrown, and therefore when its power of yielding is taken 

 away it must be the first to suffer. 



A careful observer will likewise perceive that the inner quarter 

 is higher than the outer. While it is thin to yield to the shock, 

 its increased surface gives it sufficient strength. 



On account of its thinness, and the additional weight which it 

 bears, the inner heel wear saway quicker than the outer ; a cir- 

 cumstance that should never be forgotten by the smith. His ob- 

 ject is to give a plane and level bearing to the whole of the crust. 

 To accompUsh this, it will be often scarcely necessary to remove 

 any thing from the inner heel, for this has already been done by 

 the wear of the foot. If he forgets this, as he too often seems to 

 do, and cuts away Avith his knife or his buttress an equal portion 

 all round, he leaves the inner or weaker quarter lower than the 

 outer ; he throws an uneven bearing upon it ; and produces corns 

 and sand-cracks and splints, which a little care and common sense 

 might have avoided. 



