THE FEET OF FRENCH HORSES. 
11 
the case—I presume one cause to be the large-headed nails and 
frog, together with the shape of the shoe taking the principal pres» 
sure from off the seat of corn; whereas the English shoe, press¬ 
ing upon the heel and bars, and, consequently, on the seat of corns, 
tends to produce them. By cutting away the bars, the French 
smith leaves the pressure only on the crust. But, my dear Sir, 
excuse my ignorance in asking. What are these bars 1 Are they 
natural or carved out of the sole by the smith 1 If natural, which 
I conclude them to be, are they sufficiently powerful to have an 
effect in preserving the proper form of the foot 1 I can only say, 
in all the colts’ feet that I have inspected there has been little 
appearance of bars, but what little there has been seemed to be 
so situated by nature as to forbid any pressure, without the pro¬ 
bability of producing lameness. 
I put down my pen here, while I walked to the village of St. 
Pierre, on the Dunkirk and Paris road, to put these questions to the 
smith who shoes my horses, and who, from his public locality, must 
shoe those of all descriptions. “ Do you find corns in the feet of 
farmers’ horses which you shoel” His answer was, Never'" 
“ Do you find them in the feet of any other description of horses V" 
His answer was, “ Never." The only doubt here is, whether or not 
the man knows what a corn in a horse’s foot is. He appeared half 
offended at my doubting that fact in his presence. 
I was not aware of there being an English veterinary surgeon 
at Boulogne, or I should have called upon him for his assistance 
in the following extraordinary case. I was driving a five-year 
old horse on the road, in July last, when all on a sudden 1 per¬ 
ceived him nod his head. On getting down, I found half the shoe 
of his near fore-foot was gone; but, having a perfect hoof, I was 
surprised at the effect it produced. Being near home at the time, 
I thought no more of the circumstance, merely telling my servant 
to have the shoe replaced on the morrow. My surprise, however, 
increased on his informing me, half an hour afterwards, that the 
horse was in violent pain. “Something in his foot,” said I; “send 
for the smith instantly.” The foot was well searched, but in vain. 
I never saw a horse more lame than this animal was for the three 
following days, and from no apparent cause. On the fourth day 
I sent for a French veterinary surgeon from Guines, who again 
searched the foot with his drawing-knife, but also in vain. He 
then pointed to the shoulder, but I would not hear of that, as there 
was nothing to indicate shoulder lameness. Ten days more elapsed, 
with continued lameness, and to a distressing degree, without the 
least increased heat, either in foot or limb! “Nothing for it,” 
said 1, “but rest, or a bullet." About ten days’ uninterru[)tcd rest 
rlid the business. The horse became sound, and has remained 
