202 ON THE EXPANSION OF THE HORSE’S. FOOT. 
ments have been made, as far as I know, to test their correctness. 
Eighteen years ago (in 1832) I made some experiments on the 
feet of young horses, some of which had only been shod a few 
times, while others had never been shod, in order to ascertain, 
first, the descent of the sole ; and, secondly, the lateral expansion 
of the hoof at the heels. I shall not now enter into the means 
employed, or the details of these experiments ; suffice it to state, 
that the conclusions drawn from them were subversive of the 
descent of the sole, and also of the lateral expansion of the heels, 
though they fully corroborated the elasticity of the hoof, and PAR- 
TICULARLY the descent or bending of the heels in the direction of 
the fibres of the hoof 1 have given a full account of these expe- 
riments in the discussions of the Vet. Med. Association, in the 
“ Transactions” of which they also have been reported (Sess. 1 838-9). 
I do not bring forward these experiments to claim priority of those 
extensive and ably conducted experiments of Mr. Gloag, in com- 
parison to which they are only trifles, but merely because they 
lead to the same conclusions. I agree with the Editorial remarks, 
that “ nothing should pass current but the results of actual expe- 
riments and may add that, incredulous as I am, I am most 
willing to confess that I am wrong if by any experiment it can be 
proved that the horny sole actually descends and the heels expand. 
But let those who try experiments do it fairly on unpared feet; 
or else, the result may be fallacious; since it is easy in the over- 
pared foot, particularly where the bars have been pared away in 
what is commonly called “ opening the heels,” to make the foot 
expand, or, better, bend the heels by applying both hands, and pull- 
ing them in opposite directions. The elasticity or yielding of the 
hoof I do not deny; but, if I am not mistaken, instead of expand- 
ing when on the ground, it contracts by the traction of the bones 
and yielding of the soft parts. When the articulation of the foot 
is on the stretch, at the same time the lateral cartilages expand, 
and the heels press downwards to meet the ground or the shoe, as 
the case may be, and a fulness is perceived when off the ground ; 
and the absurd method of paring the feet has, I fear, misled many 
as to its true action. The question may be asked, “ Why do you 
seat the shoe, if there is no descent of the sole]” My answer is, 
that, though the seated shoe possesses no advantage, still it has a 
lighter appearance, and keeps in the stopping, &c. As a proof 
that the seated shoe possesses no advantage, we only need con- 
sider the concave ground surface shoe, which I very often use 
without the least inconvenience. Also, the French, Italian, and 
German shoes are not seated, and no evil results from their use. 
But then the drawing-knife, which should be banished from our 
forges, has not been introduced ; and there is no scooping out of 
