130 
THE ART OF SHOEING SIMPLIFIED. 
elasticity of the crust, the flexibility of the sole, frogs, and 
bars, together with the expanded form of foot, are mainly pre¬ 
served by this mechanical up and down motion, which, it should 
be remembered, with a horse left in his natural state is almost 
perpetual. 
From the moment the colt is shod and nailed in the general 
way, on both sides, just so much of the coffin bone as is em¬ 
braced by the portion of crust or wall which has received the 
nails, is limited in its descent, and a corresponding number of 
the elastic laminae have their action also curtailed; but daily 
experience shews their office is not altogether suspended, even 
by the most gross shoeing; but the iron and nails together 
prove the most rigid fetter, in proportion as each nail has its 
antagonist immediately opposite, on the other quarter of the 
foot. The consequences of this innovation on nature are 
these: at no very distant period from the first shoeing, the 
sensible and horny laminae become contracted; but as they 
remain entire in their organization, no pain ensues, the sole 
gradually becomes preternaturally arched, and the capacity of 
the horny box is by so much diminished; but yet this is not gene¬ 
rally attended w ith pain, for nature as gradually adapts herself by 
her own resources to the change ; the coffin bone actually grows 
to the altered shape of the hoof by absorption and deposit; and 
thus is the fetter repeated month after month; and perhaps 
years pass away before actual lameness is established, though 
in too many instances the reverse is the case. Every indi¬ 
vidual horse thus shod is exposed to one of the principal pre¬ 
disposing causes of lameness, by the tendency it has, in con¬ 
junction with other causes, to elevate the coffin bone within the 
hoof \ from uniting the action of these highly elastic springs, and 
also favouring that protrusion of the frog within the foot, before 
described : the ravages which succeed to this state of the organ, 
should the navicular joint happen to be bruised in its sudden 
descent against these deformed and inflexible parts below, I 
need not now dwell upon; but with respect to the navicular 
joint lameness, I beg to refer you to my papers on that most 
formidable and prevalent disease. Hunting horses should per¬ 
haps be exceptions to this method of nailing, from their known 
liability to cast their shoes, even when nailed all round; and at 
my first view into this matter, I did think that horses with flat 
feet and low weak heels would also prove exceptions; but ex¬ 
perience justifies me in stating, that there are many feet of this 
description much improved by the same plan, observing this 
slight difference, viz. the insertion of nine instead of eight nails, 
and the extra nail to be driven towards the inside quarter. 
