Page:Horse shoes and horse shoeing.djvu/549

 '18. This shoe is convex externally, concave internally, and four nails placed in each quarter of the crust.

'19. The shoes, being nailed at the heels, confine the quarters of the crust, and produce contraction.

'20. The frog, being raised from the ground by a thick-heeled shoe, becomes soft, and very susceptible of injury.

'21. The shoe being thick at the heel only preserves the frog from pressure in the stable and on smooth surfaces, while sharp and projecting stones are perpetually liable to strike the frog at every step.

'22. The frog being soft becomes inflamed whenever it meets with pressure from hard bodies.

'23. The concavity of the shoe within, tends to prevent the expansion of the quarters, and to bruise the heels of the sole.

'24. The convexity without makes the horse very liable to slip.

'25. Contracted hoofs, corns, and frequently thrushes and canker, are to be attributed to this practice.

'26. The intention of shoeing is to preserve the hoof sound, and of the same form and structure as nature made it; and as the common practice is altering its form, and producing disease, there can be no doubt but that the common practice of shoeing is imperfect, and requires alteration and improvement.

'27. It is very practicable to preserve the hoof circular and free from corns, contraction, thrushes, and canker.

'28. To accomplish this very desirable object, it is necessary, in all cases, first to endeavour to remove a