change in the shape of the hoofs, which altered from contracted to open expanded feet, during the performance of very hard work. That this plan should have proved a remedy for the cutting, was no more than I expected, because it had succeeded in numerous instances; and I acknowledge the practice is nearly coëval with shoeing itself; but if in this said old method of shoeing, somewhat modified, there is to be found the necessary defence for the foot without the natural expansion of the hoof being impeded or restrained by the ring of iron nailed thereon, or, in other words, which will admit of all the functions of the foot being duly performed, I will venture to pronounce it the horseman's grand desideratum.

evil in the art of

tised in every

countries.

The great mistake in shoeing, which in all proba- A monstrous bility originated with the art itself, and has con- shoeing practinued up to this hour, consists in the nailing an age and in all unyielding body of iron to both sides or quarters of the foot, when, in truth, there is a necessity for the one side only to be bound or hampered by this iron fetter.

Now, Mr. Editor, I surmise you are about to ask me, whether I have discovered the means by which the necessary protection of iron can be attached and secured to the foot during constant and quick road work, and yet pierce one side only of the hoof with nails. My answer is in the affirmative, and the proof I have subjected to the test of road work

equal to posting. But the fact is, in the majority of instances, no more is necessary than a little extra nailing, as to number, in the outside quarter, accompanied with small clips judiciously applied, in order to secure the shoe during a month's wear. It will hereafter be seen, and I pledge myself to shew, that if the inner wall or half the foot be duly proare at liberty to tected, free of restraint, that the outer wall, or other half of the foot, will take care of itself, or rather is capable of resisting the restraint which the shoe and nails oppose to it.

One side only

of the hoof

being nailed,

both quarters

expand.

The inside heel of the horse's fore foot cannot certainly be said to be this animal's only vulnerable part; but it may almost be considered so in comparison to the outside heel of his foot; for, if we search for corn, we go immediately to the inside heel; but we should no more expect to find a corn in his outside heel, than we should in his hind foot, although it must be admitted this disease does occasionally exist in these parts. Contraction we foot notoriously generally find to the greater extent in the inside the principal seat of disease. quarter; and it is also the seat of sandcrack nine

The inside quarter of the

times out of ten, in comparison to the outside. In short, I would say, that the inside quarter of the foot is its wearing place, if I may be allowed such an expression.

On inspecting the unshod foot of a four-year old colt (which is fully developed at that period of life) it has been the fashion for veterinary writers to con

of the natural

sider its ground surface as a circle. To this I have The circularity much objection, having always been struck by the foot denied. great inequality of its two sides, not only as to the additional thickness of the wall of the outer quarter in comparison to the inner, but the still greater difference in compass or circularity; the outer quarter furnishing far more than is necessary to form the half circle, while the inside is generally much less than a semicircle. This bulge, or fine luxuriant growth of the outside quarter, is generally most apparent towards the heel, not only forming a much broader basis of support for the superstructure than the inside, but also one of immense strength. The inside column of crust being less strong, and yet placed more immediately under the centre of gravity, it appears to me quite obvious, that Nature intended the outer column or quarter should serve as the main prop of support, whilst the inside quarter, in proportion to the weight and speed of the animal, should expand and oppose

concussion,

But however conspicuous this fine prominence or extensive grasp of the outer quarter of the unshod foot may have appeared at three or four years' old, we may in vain look for it after the horse has been shod and stabled for the short space of one year; and in some instances all traces of it are lost in much less time under very gross shoeing. I cannot see how it should be otherwise, when it has

Importance of

minence of the

not been customary for authors on the foot and shoeing to have given the smith specific directions to attend to this peculiar conformation of the outside preserving the quarter of the foot; but have left this rude artisan bulge or prone to suppose, that when he applies a shoe of a ciroutside quarter cular form to the colt's foot, he is imitating the natural shape of the hoof: but that the colt's foot may be made to assume such a shape, how grievously must the drawing knife and rasp first mutilate the outside quarter or wall, instead of merely removing superfluous or exuberant parts.

of the hoof.

I am the more induced to insist on the necessity of the flowing outside quarter of the colt's foot being held sacred, and to shield it from the outrage of the rasp, because I flatter myself, that with the young and perfect subject I am about to subvert the present system of shoeing, and establish that which I have just recommended, by fettering with nails only one half of the foot, instead of incarcerating the entire organ, upon the free elasticity of which all the grace and splendour of this magnificent animal depend.

63

FOURTH PAPER;

VETERINARIAN, VOL. II, p. 363.

EXTRACTS EXPOSING THE INEFFICIENCY OF MR. BRACY
CLARK'S TABLET EXPANSION SHOE.

MR. BRACY CLARK'S universal theme is the "mischievous effects of nails ;" and yet this highly talented veterinarian continues to use them, and what is most extraordinary, towards the inside heel; but, by the aid of a joint at the fore part of the shoe, he states that they are rendered harmless, and do not oppose the natural expansion of the heels. That this doctrine is fallacious, the reader has only to refer to the ingenious remarks of Mr. Joseph Goodwin, in his very interesting work on the various modes of shoeing, practised by different nations; but this gentleman has left a chasm in his review which I shall attempt to fill, by pointing at one of the greatest errors of this high sounding Inle of the taTablet Expansion Shoe when applied to practice, shoe upon the viz. the too close adaptation of the shoe to the hoof heels and quarat the heels, occasioned by the nails approaching so near the heels, with the severe clenching requisite just at the weakest part of the foot, the inside quarter, in order that this complicated shoe may be retained in its situation.

Injurious presblet expansion

ters.