88 PROGRESS OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ART. 
may be understood and appreciated. The directions he gives 
us for stamping the nail holes in a hind shoe, differ somewhat 
from those followed out in England, and also from that, which 
we consider the best standard of all, good French shoeing. 
In France, the inner half of a hind shoe is fitted straight ; 
the inner toe nail as well as those of heel and quarter are 
finely stamped. The coarse nailing at the inner toe would 
be incompatible with the manner in which the shoes are 
fitted out and feet prepared in London forges. 
It vras formerly believed in this country that nails could 
not be placed at the toe of the hind feet without laming the 
horse, but Coleman did much to overcome this prejudice; 
still the toe is often so stumped up, a large nook for the clip 
being additionally cut out, that nails are only placed at its 
sides, and the quarters and heels being deep and strong, the 
shoe is made to hold on to them. 
In Germany, the shoe is made and fitted to furnish the 
hind foot more, and be more round and full at the toe than 
is usual with us. Calkins are used as a rule, and the shoe is 
also made longer at the heels, so that the calkins are behind 
the bearing part of the latter, and are less injurious than 
under other circumstances. The foot is prepared in confor- 
mity, the crust is left full round the toe, the heels are pared 
in proportion somewhat lower than in England. The shoe 
so fitted, and adjusted somewhat like on the French plan, 
both fore and hind feet go in many cases with calkins from 
year to year without much apparent injury ; whereas, if in 
England we have to rough horses for a month or two 
during a winter’s frost, many inconveniences and lamenesses 
result. 
If then, following the German plan, which is the one 
adhered to by Meyer, viz., of paring the foot with the but- 
teris, leaving the whole substance of the wall, removing only 
a small portion of horn for the clip at the toe, striking a 
plain bearing surface down both quarters and heels, the shoe 
fitted wide, stretching across the toe and heels, and the latter 
kept straight rather than curved round, and at least half an 
inch longer than is the custom in London shoeing ; then, I 
say, if all these conditions are adhered to, the nails may be 
distributed precisely as Mr. Meyer advised, viz , coarse at the 
toe, and finer as they approach the heels. 
Though more space is left behind the last nail in the hind 
shoe than we in England should consider compatible with 
security, we can conceive, carrying out Mr. Meyer’s plan as a 
whole, that it harmonises. He leaves more strength of wall 
in all the anterior parts of the foot ; the hind foot is shod 
