THE HORSE’S FOOT. 
97 
the bars. In this way the rest of the foot receives its adjust¬ 
ment from the shoe itself, and by the regions of the plantar sur¬ 
face which it surrounds. This result does not, however, take 
place immediately, or when the foot is recently shod; but by 
degrees and as the shoe wears out, the time arrives when the 
horse walks both on his shoe and the sole of his foot. Owing to 
the general equalization of the friction, any partial wear is thus 
diminished, and the important result is secured, of reducing the 
weight of the shoe without the necessity of too frequent renewals, 
experience having proved that for the fore feet it is quite as dura¬ 
ble as the ordinary shoe of twice its weight, but which, from the 
manner in which it is applied suffers, unaided, the effects of the 
pressure and friction. (H. Bouley.) As in the action of paring 
the foot only the projecting portions of the wall at the inferior 
border are removed, the preserved parts of the plantar region 
resist the movement of retraction, and thus prevent its occurrence 
in a transverse direction. Again, as the thickness of the Charlier 
shoe is greater than its width, it possesses a certain elasticity and 
adapts itself to the successive movements of the dilatation and 
contraction of the horny box, however limited they may be. 
