EXPERIMENTS ON THE FOOT OF THE HORSE. 
69 
he occasion to seek its aid ! It is no argument to say that the 
parts are covered, and he cannot avail himself of them. Instances 
are incessantly occurring, where, to prevent his falling, the horse 
will slide yards upon the heels of his shoes. 
It is to this instinctive effort to obtain a foot-hold that I attribute 
the depressions which are found upon the old shoes, and not to any 
natural bending, such as would be indicated by Mr. Gloag’s expe- 
riments. The horse has the power of depressing his heels when 
there is a necessity for the action ; but I believe such depression 
does not take place in ordinary action, unless it be of necessity 
called into play as a collateral security in periods of emergency. 
In ordinary practice, to provide for this natural action of the 
horse, I recommend that not only the upper surface of the heels of 
the shoe, but the under surface also, be slightly and gradually be- 
velled off in such a manner and degree only, that, were the horse 
standing upon a perfectly level surface, two angular spaces should 
present themselves; a superior, between the heel of the hoof and 
shoe, capable perhaps of receiving a flattened straw; and an inferior, 
somewhat larger, included 
between the under surface 
of the heel of the shoe and 
that upon which the horse 
was standing. This shoe 
(which is represented in the 
annexed cut) not only re- 
lieves the heels from pres- 
sure, by throwing the weight 
upon the quarters, but per- 
mits the foot to assume the 
required degree of obliquity 
whenever the horse throws himself upon his heels ; and this with- 
out either bending the fibres of the horn, springing the nails, or 
producing concussion at the posterior part of the sensitive struc- 
tures. 
I need scarcely qualify these remarks by observing that many 
cases will present themselves requiring great modifications of this 
plan ; but to the practitioner this will be thoroughly understood. 
Having, then, before us such incontrovertible facts, viz. the de- 
scent of the horny sole, and lateral expansion of the heels and 
quarters, together with some idea of the great amount of the ani- 
mal’s weight which the hinder part of the foot is called upon to 
support, can it be further necessary to insist upon a plan of shoeing 
which shall provide for each of these actions, and at the same time 
admit of that depression of the heels which the horse has the power 
of accomplishing ] 
VOL. XXIII. 
HnR!70KlTA I 
L 
