26 
AN ACCOUNT OF THE HORSE-SANDAL. 
proper or politic in him to accompany this account with much in 
praise of his invention. Unless he himself had entertained a 
good opinion of his production, he would hardly have brought 
it before the public at all; and when he has once done so, that 
disinterested and many-eyed arbiter — the public—is vastly 
more competent to form a proper estimate, and come to a just 
conclusion on its utility and value, than the prepossessed inven¬ 
tor himself is. All the puffing in the world will not thrust an 
unworthy invention down the throats of the public against their 
more sober and better judgment, however much or long the 
bantling may have been cherished by its parent; for, even 
though the cramming system should succeed for a time, still 
the day will come w hen the apparition w ill be unveiled, and its 
unsubstantiality demonstrated. An individual is at liberty to 
invent or introduce novelties, but it is for the collective body— 
the public—to stamp the utility or value of such introductions. 
With this preface I shall commence my description of the 
Sandal , succeeding its description with directions for the appli¬ 
cation of it , and concluding with an account of the uses for 
which it appears fitted in sporting and veterinary practice. 
i i 
DESCRIPTION OF THE SANDAL. 
The sandal consists of two parts:— the shoe —the iron part, or 
that which defends the bottom of the foot and sustains the wear; 
and the straps or webbing, whereby the shoe is fastened to the 
foot. 
The Shoe bears much resemblance to the frog-bar shoe some 
years ago introduced into practice by Professor Coleman. I my¬ 
self suggested to the Professor, at the time, the expediency of 
splitting the bar more widely, and making its heels rest upon 
the bearing places of the common shoe, rather than suffering it 
to abut against the frog. And I have selected this shape for the 
shoe of the sandal, as being stronger, and adapted with the least 
metal to afford the greatest possible cover and protection to the 
foot. To answer the purposes for which the sandal is intended, 
it became necessary that the shoe should be light, and conveni¬ 
ently portable; at the same time, it was required to be strong 
and protective. 
For the sake of elucidation, and for more ready reference, to 
the different parts of the shoe I have appended names: they 
are, however, but few in number, and are such as seem to me 
naturally to suggest themselves; and consequently will, I 
hope, require but to be seen to be remembered. The following 
diagram will serve to point them out. 
