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 Article 1. The Library will be open for 
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 ( 
 
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 Salem Gazette Presi. 
 
TUFTS UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES 
 
 3 9090 013 418 542 
 
 ( 
 
 Slninr. school Of veterinary JMine at 
 
 Tutts University 
 200 Westboro Road 
 North Grafton, MA 01 536 
 
#s-^. 
 
 THE 
 
 HORSE'S FOOT, 
 
 AND 
 
 HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND 
 
 iDitl) lUnatrationa. 
 
 BY WILLIAM MILES, ESQ. 
 
 FROM THE THIRD LONDON EDITION. 
 
 NEW YOEK: 
 
 C M. SAXTON & COMPANY, 
 
 Agriccltubal Book Pcbushkrs, 140 Fwzoy St. 
 
 1856. 
 
 
\o^^ 
 
PREFACE 
 
 f n^^e, bren induced, at the solicitation of several 
 friends, who have deplored to me their total want of any- 
 thing like useful or practical knowledge upon the subject 
 of shoeing, to embody for their guidance some rough notes 
 which I had made upon soundness of the horse's foot in 
 general, and on shoeing in particular. In offering them to 
 the public, I beg to premise that I have not the smallest 
 intention of what is called writing a book, — least of all, a 
 scientific book. My sole object is to communicate, in the 
 most familiar language the subject will admit of, the result 
 of several years' observation, and of much tedious experi- 
 ment, undertaken w^ith a view of ascertaining what mode 
 of shoeing, system of stabling, and quantity of exercise, 
 promised the fairest prospect of preserving the foot of the 
 horse in soundness and comfort to himself, and usefulness 
 to his owner for the longest period. 
 
 I disclaim all pretension to any nev/ discovery in th.e art 
 of shoeing ; — amateurs' discoveries are, for the most part, 
 of small value. I have preferred unscrupulously availing 
 myself of the labors of professional and practical men, — - 
 by carefully examining their systems — trying their plans 
 — and ultimately adopting that which appeared the best 
 calculated to ensure success. If, in what follows, I am 
 
4 PREFACE. 
 
 accused of entering too minutely into matters of detail, m]» 
 answer must be, that I write exclusively for the informa- 
 tion of the uninformed, including those who are unwilling, 
 as well as those who are incompetent to wade through the 
 various elaborate and conflicting treatises already published 
 upon the horse's foot, and who are of necessity compelled 
 to yield implicitly in all such matters to the eocperience of 
 others, — w4iose ex'perience will generally be found to re- 
 solve itself into untiring 'perseverance in one unvaried 
 plan for a series of years. 
 
 My aim has been, by keeping out of view every thing 
 not essential, and presenting only those things that are 
 practical, to render a hitherto difficult and little under- 
 stood subject familiar and easy. If I have in any degree 
 succeeded, I shall feel myself amply repaid for whatever 
 pains it may have cost me. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 pxax 
 
 Description of the foot 7 
 
 Tile horny crust 7 
 
 The sole 8 
 
 The frog 9 
 
 Tlie bones of the foot 10 
 
 The lateral cartilages 11 
 
 The sensitive sole 11 
 
 The sensitive frog 12 
 
 The elastic cushion or fatty frog 12 
 
 The coffin joint 12 
 
 The navicular joint 12 
 
 The natural form of the foot 13 
 
 Removing the old shoe 13 
 
 Preparation of the foot for receiving a new shoe 13 
 
 Rasping the crust 14 
 
 Paring the foot 14 
 
 Reasons for varying the paring out of fest at different seasons 14 
 
 Different feet require different treatment 15 
 
 General directions for preparing the foot 15 
 
 *' Opening out the heels" condemned , 15 
 
 Reasons for never allowing a knife to approach, the frog 16 
 
 Weight of the shoe 18 
 
 Width of the web 18 
 
 Objections to shoes *' well set off at the heels" 18 
 
 The effect of such shoes upon the navicular joint 19 
 
 The foot does not receive its form from the shoe 20 
 
 The situation of the nails determines the form of the foot 20 
 
 The form of the shoe 21 
 
 Objections to thick-heeled slices... 21 
 
 The toe turned up out of the line of wear 21 
 
 Steel at the toe objectionable 21 
 
 A clip at the toe desirable 21 
 
 The shoe should not be too short 22 
 
 A flat surface for the crust to bear upon 22 
 
 The nail-holes in the flat surface, and not partly in it and partly in the 
 
 seating 22 
 
 The seating 22 
 
 Tiie ground surface 22 
 
 No objection to the application of a hot shoe to the foot to ascertain its 
 
 bearings 22 
 
 Reasons for removing the shoes every two or three weeks 23 
 
 Number and situation of the nails 23 
 
 More nails than are necessary not merely useless , , 24 
 
 1* 
 
6 CONTENTS. 
 
 TAaM 
 
 Five naiis employed,— but six recommended , 25 
 
 Reasons for recommending six nails 25 
 
 How expansion of the foot is permitted by one-sided nailing 26 
 
 Corns cured by one-sided nailing with five nails 27 
 
 Evidence of a commercial traveller in favor of one-sided nailing with five 
 
 nails only 27 
 
 Remarks upon shoeing with leather 28 
 
 The hind shoe considered 29 
 
 Objections to the general use of " Calkins" 29 
 
 Clips 30 
 
 The cause and prevention of " forging" 30 
 
 •' Overreach' ' how produced and how prevented 31 
 
 A plan for detecting the exact part of the shoe with which a horse ** cuts" 31 
 
 Reasons against shoeing horses in the stable, away from the forge 32 
 
 General observations upon shoeing hunters, and plating race-horses 33 
 
 The situation of the nails a common cause of horses losing their races 34 
 
 The effect of the loss of one inch upon each stride in running over the 
 
 Derby course 34 
 
 The advantages of a loose box. 35 
 
 The disadvantages of stalls shown in the number of horses cast by cavalry 
 
 regiments G6 
 
 The objections commonly urged against loose boxes 38 
 
 The bet t mode of converting stalls into loose boxes 38 
 
 The real — but unurged — objection to loose boxes 38 
 
 Horses having always been kept in stalls, no argument against its being 
 
 hurtful to them 33 
 
 New form of muzzle recommended, instead of the two objectionable forms 
 
 in common use 40 
 
 Meaning of the word " sound," as applied to horses' feet 40 
 
 A foot afflicted with inflammation and pain— not sound 41 
 
 '* Pointing" — not merely a trick— but a symptom of unsoundness 41 
 
 Perfectly sound feet among horses in work very rare, and not absolutely 
 
 essential — nevertheless very desirable 42 
 
 The importance of regular daily exercise to the soundness of horses' feet . . 42 
 
 Treatment of the foot in the stable 44 
 
 A useful hoof ointment 44 
 
 The best mode of applying moisture 44 
 
 Morning the fittest time for the application of cold water to the feet 45 
 
 Stopping the feet at night recommended 45 
 
 Cow-dung a good stopping 45 
 
 No fear of producing thrushes by moist stopping 45 
 
 Bad shoeing the real cause of thrushes 45 
 
 Two cases of thrushes cured by standing on wet sawdust without shoes ... 45 
 
 Standing on wet sawdust in a loose box preferred to turning out 45 
 
 Va.ue of a general warranty considered ♦ 49 
 
THE HORSE'S FOOT, &c. 
 
 In describing the various parts which compose the horse^s 
 foot, it shall be my endeavor to avoid, as much as possible, 
 all minute anatomical details and scientific technical terms, 
 and to confine myself to a plain description of those parts 
 only, a general knowledge of which is essential to the full 
 understanding of what is right, and what wrong, in the for- 
 mation and application of the horse's shoe. 
 
 The hoof is divided into horny crust or wall, sole, and 
 frog. 
 
 The horny crust is secreted by the numerous blood-vessels 
 of that soft protruding band which encircles the upper edge 
 of the hoof, immediately beneath the termination of the hair ; 
 and is divided into toe, quarters, heels, and bars.* Its texture 
 is insensible, but elastic throughout its whole extent ; and, 
 yielding to the weight of the horse, allows the horny sole to 
 descend, whereby much inconvenient concussion to the in- 
 ternal parts of the foot is avoided. But if a large portion 
 of the circumference of the foot be fettered by iron and nails, 
 it is obvious that that portion, at least, cannot expand as be- 
 fore ; and the beautiful and efficient apparatus for effecting 
 this necessary elasticity, being no longer allowed to act by 
 reason of these restraints, becomes altered in structure : and 
 the continued operation of the same causes, in the end, cir- 
 cumscribes the elasticity to those parts alone where no nails 
 have been driven, — giving rise to a train of consequences 
 destructive to the soundness of the foot, and fatal to the use- 
 fulness of the horse. 
 
 The toe of the fore foot is the thickest and strongest por- 
 tion of the hoof, and is in consequence less expansive than 
 any other part, and therefore better calculated to resist the 
 
 • Page 47, figs. 1 and 2. 
 
8 THE HORSE'S FOOT, 
 
 effect of the nails and shoe. The thickness of the horn 
 gradually diminishes towards the quarters and heels, particu- 
 larly on the inner side of the foot, whereby the power of yield- 
 ing and expanding to the weight of the horse is proportionably 
 increased, clearly indicating that those parts cannot be nailed 
 to an unyielding bar of iron, without a most mischievous 
 interference with the natural functions of the foot. In the 
 hind foot, the greatest thickness of horn will be found at the 
 quarters and heels, and not, as in the fore foot, at the toe. 
 This difference in the thickness of horn is beautifully adapted 
 to the inequality of the weight which each has to sustain, {he 
 force with which it is applied, and the portions of the hoof 
 upon which it falls. The toe of the fore foot encounters the 
 combined force and weight of the fore hand and body, and 
 consequently in a state of nature is exposed to considerable 
 wear and tear, and calls for greater strength and substance 
 of horn than is needed by any portion of the hind foot, where 
 the duty of supporting the hinder parts alone is distributed 
 over the quarters and heels of both sides of the foot. 
 
 The bars are continuations of the wall, reflected at the 
 heels towards the centre of the foot, where they meet in a 
 point, leaving a triangular space between them for the frog. 
 
 The whole inner surface of the horny crust, from the cen- 
 tre of the toe to the point where the bars meet, is everywhere 
 lined with innumerable narrow, thin, and projecting horny 
 plates,* which extend in a slanting direction from the uppei 
 edge of the wall to the line of junction between it and the 
 sole, and possess great elasticity. These projecting plates 
 are the means of greatly extending the surface of attach- 
 ment of the hoof to the coffin bone, which is likewise covered 
 by a similar arrangement of projecting plates, but of a highly 
 vascular and sensitive character ; and these, dovetailing with 
 the horny projections above named, constitute a union com- 
 bining strength and elasticity in a wonderful degree. 
 
 The horny sole covers the whole inferior surface of the 
 foot, excepting the frog. In a well-formed foot it presents 
 an arched appearance and possesses considerable elasticity, 
 by virtue of which it ascends and descends, as the weight 
 above is either suddenly removed from it, or forcibly applied 
 to it. This descending property of the sole calls for our 
 especial consideration in directing the form of the shoe ; for, 
 if the shoe be so formed that the horny sole rests upon it, it 
 
 • Page 48, fig. 2. 
 
AZ^D HOW :0 KEEP IT SOUND. 9 
 
 cannot descend lower ; and the sensible sole above, becoming 
 squeezed between the edges of the coffin bone and the horn, 
 produces inflammation, and perhaps abscess. The eriect of 
 this squeezing of the sensible sole is most commonly wit- 
 nessed at the angle of the inner heel, where the descending 
 heel of the coffin bone, forcibly pressing the vascular sole 
 upon the horny sole, ruptures a small blood-vessel, and pro- 
 duces what is called a corn, but which is, in fact, a bruise. 
 
 The horny frog occupies the greater part of the triangular 
 space between the bars, and extends from the hindermost 
 part of the foot to the centre of the sole, just over the point 
 where the bars meet ; but is united to them only at their 
 upper edge : the sides remain unattached and separate, and 
 form the channels called the "Commissures."* 
 
 The frog is evidently designed for very important uses ; 
 but, as our object is purely practical, and not speculative, we 
 will not stop to inquire, whether its chief office is to expand 
 the foot, and prevent contraction or not — which is debatable 
 ground — but proceed to consider it in a point of view bearing 
 more usefully on our subject, viz., as the part which offers 
 us the best criterion whereby to judge of the effect of our 
 shoeing upon the foot generally ; for no part undergoes so 
 much change from bad shoeing, or exhibits it so soon, as the 
 frog. If we carefully observe the form and size of the frog 
 in the foot of a oolt of from four to five years old, at its first 
 shoeing, and then note the changes which it undergoes as the 
 shoeings are repeated, we shall soon be convinced that a 
 visible departure from a state of health and nature is taking 
 place. At first it will be found large and full, with consider- 
 able elasticity ; the cleft oval in form, open, and expanding, 
 ■^ith a continuous, well-defined, and somewhat elevated boun- 
 cary ; the bulbs at the heels fully developed, plump, and 
 rounded ; and the whole mass occupying about one-sixth of 
 the circumference of the foot.f By degrees the fulness and 
 elasticity will be observed to have diminished; the bulbs at 
 the heels will shrink, and lose their plumpness ; the cleft will 
 become narrower, its oval form disappear, the back part of 
 its boundary give way, and it will dwindle into a narrow 
 crack, extended back between the wasted, or perhaps obliter- 
 ated bulbs, presenting only the miserable remains of a frog, 
 such as may be seen in the feet of most horses long accus- 
 tomed to be shod. 
 
 
 Page 47, fig. 1. t Ibid. 
 
10 PHE horse's foot, 
 
 The bones proper to the foot are three in number, viz.-«-« 
 the coffin bone, the navicular bone, and part of the coronet 
 bone : they are contained within the hoof, and combine to 
 form the coffin joint ;* but the smallest of them, the navicular 
 bone, is of far more importance as connected with our subject 
 of shoeing, than either of the others ; for upon the healthy 
 condition of this bone, and the joint formed between it and the 
 tendon, which passes under it to the coffin bone, and is called 
 the navicular joint, mainly depends the usefulness of the 
 horse to man. 
 
 This small bone,f which in a horse sixteen hands high 
 measures only two and a quarter inches in its longer diameter, 
 three fourths of an inch at the widest part of its shorter 
 diameter, and half an inch in thickness in the centre, its 
 thickest part, has the upper and under surfaces and part of 
 one of the sides overlaid with a thin coating of gristle, and 
 covered by a delicate secreting membrane, very liable upon 
 the slightest injury to become inflamed ; it is unfortunately 
 so placed in the foot as to be continually exposed to danger ; 
 being situated across the hoof, behind the coffin bone, and 
 immediately under the coronet bone ;:]: whereby it is compelled 
 to receive nearly the whole weight of the horse each time 
 that the opposite foot is raised from the ground. 
 
 The coffin bone§ consists of a body and wings ; and is 
 fitted into the hoof, which it closely resembles in form. Ita 
 texture is particularly light and spongy, arising from the 
 quantity of canals or tubes that traverse its substance in 
 every direction, affi^rding to numerous blood-vessels and nerves 
 a safe passage to the sensitive and vascular parts surrounding 
 it ; while the unyielding nature of the bone effectually pro- 
 tects them from compression or injury under every variety 
 of movement of the horse. 
 
 In an unshod foot the front and sides of the coffin bone are 
 deeply furrowed and roughened, to secure the firmer attach- 
 ment of the vascular membranous structui'e, by which the 
 bone is clothed ; but in the bone of a foot that has been fre- 
 quently shod, this appearance is greatly changed, the furiow? 
 and roughness giving place to a comparatively smooth surface 
 This change I imagine to be produced by the shoe limiting 
 if not destroying, the expansive power of that part of the horn 
 to which it is nailed ; whereby a change of structure in the 
 membrane itself, as well as absorption of the attaching por- 
 
 • Page 50, fig. 6. t Page 50, fig. 5. t Page 50, fig. 6. § Page 49, fig. 4 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 11 
 
 tlons of the bone, is induced ; for it is an invariable law of 
 the animal economy not to continue to unemployed structures 
 the same measure of efficient reparation that is extended to 
 parts constantly engaged in performing their allotted tasks. 
 The shoe restricts or prevents expansion ; while Nature, as 
 the secret influence is called, immediately sets to work to 
 simplify the apparatus for producing the expansion, which 
 art has thus rendered impracticable, and substitutes f jr it a 
 new structure, less finely organized, but admirably suited to 
 the altered condition of the parts. 
 
 The wings extend from the body of the bone directly back- 
 wards, and support the "lateral cartilages" of the foot. 
 
 If a coffin bone be placed upon a flat surface, it will be 
 seen that the whole of the front of the toe is considerably 
 raised or arched, as if a notch had been cut out of it, giving 
 it almost the appearance of an imperfect bone.* I consider 
 this to be one of the numerous provisions of nature for dimin- 
 ishing the concussion to which the horse's foot is so constantly 
 exposed ; for if the toe of the bone corresponded exactly with 
 the toe of the hoof, a shock would be communicated to the 
 whole foot each time it struck against a stone or other pre- 
 lecting substance ; whereas this intervening space, by break- 
 ing the connection of the parts, almost entirely prevents the 
 transmission of the jar. This conjecture is greatly strength- 
 ened by the fact, that the coffin bone of the hind foot, where 
 the jar would be less felt, presents no such deficiency at the 
 toe. 
 
 The coronet bone is nearly square ;f its breadth from side 
 to side exceeds its height by about one-fifth ; it is situated 
 partly within, and partly without the hoof;:]: it supports the 
 pastern bone, and rests upon the coffin and navicular bones. 
 
 The lateral cartilages are attached to the upper edge of 
 the wings of the coffin bone, and project backwards beyond 
 the bone, giving form and substance to the heel. About half 
 of each rises above the hoof as high as the pastern joint, and 
 can be distinctly felt under the skin. 
 
 The sensitive covering to the coffin bone is a prolongation 
 of the coronary substance : it is firmly attached to the surface 
 of the bone, and is collected into numerous little plaits or folds, 
 which run in parallel slanting lines down its sides. 
 
 The sensitive sole, or, as it is sometimes called, the fleshy 
 sole, is about the eighth of an inch thick, and is almost entire- 
 
 • Page 49, %. 4 t Page 40, fig. 3. t Page 50, fig. G. 
 
12 THE horse's foot, 
 
 ly made up of blood-vessels and nerves ; it is one of the most 
 vascular and sensitive parts of the body, and is attached to the 
 lower edge of the sensitive covering of the coffin bone, — to the 
 bars, — and point of the frog, — and also with great firmness 
 to the whole of the arched under-surface of the coffin bone. 
 
 The sensitive frog includes not only the part corresponding 
 to the sensitive sole, but also the peculiar spongy elastic sub- 
 stance which intervenes between it and the navicular joint, 
 and fills the space between the cartilages. The proper sen- 
 sitive frog is thicker, and less finely organized, than the sen- 
 sitive sole, possessing fewer blood-vessels and nerves. 
 
 The coffin joint is formed by portions of the three bones of 
 the foot meeting together within the hoof;* and is furnished 
 with all the parts necessary to constitute a perfect joint. It 
 is rarely, if ever, the original seat of disease. 
 
 The navicular joint.*]" — the least injury to which entails 
 such disastrous consequences. — is merely a sort of false joint, 
 or bag, formed between the under surface of the navicular 
 bone, and the upper surface of the tendon of the muscle, whose 
 office it is to bend the foot, by acting upon the coffin bone. 
 It is situated beneath, and somewhat behind the coffin joints 
 and is lined throughout by a delicate secreting membrane^ 
 for the supply of the fluid necessary to the even sliding of the 
 tendon over the bone, after the m.anner of a pulley. Any 
 diminution in the quantity of fluid, either from inflammation 
 of the membrane, or other cause, must produce friction of the 
 sides of the bag upon each other, and lay the foundation for 
 that train of fatal effects which must ensue, under such cir- 
 cumstances, to a part so constantly and vigorously emploj^ed 
 as the navicular joint ; — viz. first, — inflammation of the 
 membrane, — then ulceration and absorption of the gristle, — 
 and lastly, disease of the bone itself — a speck of v.'hich, no 
 larger than a pin's head, produces lameness that defies all the 
 powers of man to cure, and dooms the horse to a life of pain 
 and misery for the remainder of his days. 
 
 Before treating of the preparation of the foot for the recep- 
 tion of a shoe, it is desirable to correct the generally received, 
 but erroneous opinion, that the shape of a perfect foot is cir- 
 cular, or very nearly so. It is this opinion that leads the 
 generality of smiths to direct their energies towards reducing 
 the foot to that shape as soon as possible ; indeed so impatient 
 are some persons to commence this work of setting nature 
 
 * Page 50, fig. 6, t Ibid 
 
AIMD HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 13 
 
 right, that they cause their colts' feet to be "put in order," — 
 as the mischievous interference is called, — long before the 
 process of " breaking" has rendered the evil of shoeing neces- 
 sary. There are very few things so little varied in nature as 
 the form of the ground surface of horses' feet ; for whether 
 the hoof be high-heeled and upright, — or low-heeled and 
 flat, — large or small, — broad or narrow, — the identical form 
 of ground surface is maintained in each, so long as it is left 
 entirely to nature's guidance. The outer quarter, back to 
 the heel, is curved considerably and abruptly outwards, while 
 the inner quarter is carried back in a gradual and easy 
 curve.* The advantage of this form is so obvious, that it is 
 matter for wonder it should ever be interfered with. The 
 enlarged outer quarter extends the base and increases the 
 hold of the foot upon the ground ; while the straighter inner 
 quarter lessens the risk of striking the foot against the oppo- 
 site lesf. 
 
 It should surely be our object to retain these valuable 
 qualities as long as we can, and not lightly sacrifice either of 
 them to a false notion of what may be considered a prettier 
 form. Whenever we observe nature steadily persevering in 
 one form, or one plan, depend upon it, it is not within the 
 range of man's ingenuity to amend it ; and he will better 
 serve his own interest in accommodating his views to her 
 laws, than in attempting to oppose them. In this spirit let us 
 proceed with our subject. 
 
 Before the foot can be prepared for receiving a new shoe, 
 it will be necessary to remove the old one ; in doing which 
 great care should be taken to raise all the clinches,*}" and 
 every approach to violently wrenching it off should be scru- 
 pulously avoided ; dragging the nails with their turned down 
 ends through the crust, not only inflicts pain upon the horse 
 by their pressure on the sensitive parts within the hoof, — as 
 is evinced by his flinching and struggling to free his foot from 
 the grasp of the smith, — but separates the fibres of the horn 
 beyond what is necessary, and interferes with the future nail- 
 hold. If the shoe resist a moderate effort to displace it, one 
 or two of the nails, that appear to retain it the most, should 
 be partly punched out : by this small trouble much future in- 
 convenience will be saved, the enlargement of the nail-holes 
 prevented, and the crust left in a firmer and sounder state to 
 nail to. 
 
 • Page 47, fig. 1 t Page 48, fig. 2, 
 
14 THE horse's foot. 
 
 The foot being relieved of the shoe, should have the edges 
 of the crust well rasped : to do this effectually requires a de- 
 gree of force calculated to arouse the fears of the uninformed, 
 and to make them suspect something like wanton destruction 
 of the hoof. It is, however, only removing those parts which 
 in the unshod foot would have been worn away by contact 
 with the ground. The practice is further beneficial in de- 
 tecting any stubs that may chance to have been left in the 
 nail-holes. 
 
 The operation of paring out the foot is a matter requiring 
 both skill and judgment ; and is moreover a work of some 
 labor, when properly performed. It will be found that the 
 operator errs much oftener by rem.oving too Utile, than too 
 much ; at least it is so with the parts that ought to be re- 
 moved, which are sometimes almost as hard and unyielding 
 as a flint-stone, and in their most favorable state require con- 
 siderable exertion to cut through : the frog, on the other hand, 
 offers so little resistance to the knife, and presents such an 
 even, smooth, clean-looking surface when cut through, that it 
 requires more philosophy than falls to the share of most 
 smiths, to resist the temptation to slice it away, despite a 
 knowledge that it would be far wiser to leave it alone. 
 
 It vould be impossible to frame any rule applicable to the 
 paring out of all horses' feet, or indeed to the feet of the same 
 horse at all times : for instance, it is manifestly unwise to 
 pare the sole as thin in a hot dry season, when the roads are 
 broken up, and strewed with loose stones, as in a moderately 
 wet one, when they are well bound and even ; for in the for- 
 mer case the sole is in perpetual danger of being bruised by 
 violent contact with the loose stones, and consequently needs 
 a thicker layer of horn for its protection ; while the latter 
 case offers the most favorable surface that most of our horses 
 ever have to travel upon, and should be taken advantage of 
 for a thorough paring out of the sole, in order that the inter- 
 nal parts of the foot may derive the full benefit arising from 
 an elastic and descending sole ; a state of things very essen- 
 tial to the due performance of their separate functions. 
 Again : in horses with upright feet and high heels horn 
 grows very abundantly, especially towards the toe ; and such 
 are always benefited by having the toe shortened, the heels 
 lowered, and the sole well pared out ; while in horses with 
 fiat feet and low heels horn grows sparingly ; and the toe of 
 such feet, being always weak, will admit of very little short- 
 ening. Such heels bein^ already too low, should scarcely bo 
 
- AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 15 
 
 touched with the rasp ; and the sole presents such a small 
 quantity of dead horn, that the knife should be used with 
 great discretion. 
 
 In the first case the thickness of the sole prevents the due 
 descent of the coffin bone, when the horse's weight is thrown 
 apon the foot ; and it requires in consequence to be pared 
 iown thinner and rendered more yielding ; while in the lat- 
 'er case it is already so thin and unresisting, that it can with 
 difficulty support the coffin bone in its proper place, and 
 offers at best but a feeble resistance to its downward ten- 
 dency. 
 
 The consideration of the foregoing circumstances will show 
 the impracticability of prescribing general directions, capable 
 of meeting the exigences of all feet ; and the futility of at- 
 tempting to establish one particular mode of paring out all 
 feet— one particular mode of applying the shoes — or one par- 
 ticular form of shoe. They must, each in its turn, be varied 
 to meet the degree of deviation from what may be called a 
 perfect foot. Perfect feet, or indeed tolerably well formed 
 feet, with a fair growth of horn, should have the toe shorten- 
 ed, the heels lowered, and the sole well pared out ; that is, 
 all the dead horn removed, and, if need be, some of the living 
 too, until it will yield, in some small degree, to hard pressure 
 from the thumb. 
 
 The corners formed by the junction of the crust and bars 
 should be well pared out, particularly on the inside ; for this 
 is the common seat of corn, and any accumulation of horn in 
 this situation must increase the risk of bruising the sensible 
 sole between the inner point or heel of the coffin bone and the 
 horny sole. I very much doubt either the utility or wisdom 
 of leaving the bars projecting beyond the surface of the sole ; 
 it cannot possibly increase the power of resisting contraction, 
 and this projecting rim is left exposed to the danger of being 
 broken and bruised by contact with stones and other hard 
 substances ; and it is further attended with the disadvantage 
 of making the cleaning out of these corners a work of con- 
 siderable ingenuity with so unwieldy an instrument as a com- 
 mon drawing-knife. I prefer paring them down to a level 
 with the sole, or very nearly so ; avoiding however every 
 approach to what is called " opening out the heels," a most 
 reprehensible practice, which means cutting away the sides 
 of the bars, so as to show an apparent increase of width be- 
 tween the heels, which may for the time deceive the eye ; but 
 it is a mere illusion, purchased at the expense of impaired 
 
16 THE horse's foot, 
 
 power ot resistance in the bars, and ultimate contraction of 
 the feet. It is self-evident, that the removing any portion 
 from the sides of the bars must diminish their substance, and 
 render them weaker, and consequently less able to resist con- 
 traction. 
 
 If it were not for the unaccountable prejudice in favor 
 of carving the frog into shape at every shoeing, I should have 
 had very little to say about it in this place : my only direc- 
 tion, as a general rule, would have been, to leave it alone, 
 and never allow a knife to approach it: but this far-spread 
 prejudice renders it necessary for me to explain why the 
 knife must be so entirely withheld from the frog, while its 
 liberal application to the other parts of the foot is shown to 
 be so beneficial to them. First, then, the frog has naturally 
 less power of producing horn than any other part of the 
 foot ; and the effect of shoeing seems to be, still further to 
 diminish this power by obstructing the expansion of the hoof, 
 and thereby exposing the membrane which secretes the horn 
 to undue pressure : indeed in the generality of feet it would 
 appear almost to check the growth of the frog altogether ; 
 for if we compare the size of the frog with the circumfer- 
 ence of the foot in a horse long accustomed to be shod, we 
 shall find the space occupied by it will not exceed one-tenth 
 or one-twelfth of the whole circumference ; whereas, in the 
 natural and unshod foot it occupies about one-sixth. Now 
 this dwindling down to one-half its proper size is the direct 
 effect of shoeing and paring ; but I believe that much the 
 larger portion of the mischief is attributable to the unneces- 
 sary evil of paring, rather than the necessary one of shoeing. 
 The reason assig-ned for further mutilatins: this fast diminish- 
 ing organ at every shoeing, is a most unfounded dread that 
 it would run all over the foot, if it were not for the controlling 
 influence of the drawing-knife : and so general is this belief, 
 that it is entertained more or less by almost every smith, 
 notwithstanding the daily, nay hourly, evidence that is pre- 
 sented to his senses of the gradual but certain diminution 
 of the frogs of nearly all the horses which he shoes. I 
 have horses in my possession whose frogs have not been 
 touched by a knife for five years, and yet it has never oc- 
 curred to any one that they are overgrown ; but every one 
 is attracted by the evenness of surface and fine expanded 
 cleft which they present. Perhaps about one in a thousand 
 may form an exception ; where a large loose-textured frog 
 may require a little paring once or twice in a year. The 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUXD. 17 
 
 layer of horn that covers the frog is thinnei in substance 
 and more delicate in texture than that of any other part of 
 the foot, and, when once destroyed, is very imperfectly and 
 sparingly reproduced. The first stroke of the knife removes 
 this thin liorny covering altogether, and lays bare an under 
 surface, totally unfitted, from its moist, soft texture, for ex- 
 posure either to the hard ground or the action of the air ; 
 and in consequence of such unnatural exposure it soon 
 becomes dry and shrinks : then follow cracks, — the edges 
 of which turning outwards form rags ; these rags are re- 
 moved by the smith at the next shoeing, whereby another 
 such surface is exposed, and another foundation laid for 
 other rags ; and so on, until at last the protruding, plump, 
 elastic cushion, interposed by nature between the navicular 
 joint and the ground, and so essential to its preservation from 
 injury, is converted by the mischievous interference of art 
 into the dry, shrunk, unyielding apology for a frog, to be 
 seen in the foot of almost every horse that has been regu- 
 larly shod for a few years. The frog is provided within 
 itself with tvv^o very efficient modes of throwing off any 
 superfluous horn it may be troubled with ; and it is very un- 
 wise in man to interfere with them : the first and most com- 
 mon is the separation from its surface of small bran-like 
 scales, which becoming dry fall off in a kind of whitish 
 scurf, not unlike the dust that adheres to Turkey figs. The 
 other, which is upon a larger scale, and of rarer occurrence, 
 is sometimes called " casting the frog." A thick layer of 
 frog separates itself in a body, and shells off — to the full as 
 deep as a usual paring with the knife : but it is worthy of 
 remark, that there is this very important difference between 
 the two operations : nature never removes the horny cover- 
 ing until she has provided another horny covering beneath, 
 so that although a large portion of the frog may have been 
 removed, there still remains a perfect frog behind, smaller it 
 is true, but covered with horn and in every way fitted to 
 sustain exposure ; while the knife, on the contrary, removes 
 the horny covering, but is unable to substitute any other 
 in its stead. My advice therefore is to leave the frog to 
 itself — nature will remove the superfluous horn, and the 
 rags can do no harm, and, if unmolested, will soon disappear 
 altogether. 
 
 In describing the form of the shoe, and explaining its 
 
 ■details, I shall not hesitate to repeat any thing which I may 
 
 have said before^ if it should appear to me that by so doing 1 
 
 2* 
 
18 THE horse's foot, 
 
 can render myself more intelligible. The first recommenda. 
 tion I have to offer concerning the shoe itself has reference, 
 not to its form, but to its weight, and is suggested by the 
 prevailing idea that shoes cannot well be too light. A very 
 little reflection will convince us that this notion must be 
 founded in error, involving as it does two most objectionable 
 properties in a shoe, viz., liability to bend, and insufficient 
 covering. The inconvenience to a horse of an ounce or so 
 of increased weight in each shoe is not worth a moment's 
 consideration, compared with the discomfort to him of 
 travelling upon a hard road with a bent shoe on his foot, 
 straining the nails, and making unequal and painful pressure. 
 
 The other evil arising out of light shoes, is a deficiency 
 of width in the web,* which robs the foot of much valuable 
 protection, and leaves the sole and frog exposed to numberless 
 injuries, that a wider web would effectually prevent. 
 
 For my own horses I not only have the web made wider 
 fnan is usually met with, but I take especial care that the 
 same width of web is continued throughout the whole shoe, 
 back to the heels, giving increased covering and protection to 
 the sole of the foot. The common practice is to get it narrow- 
 er and narrower, until it dwindles at the heels into about half 
 its original width ;-\ and the only reason assigned for this in- 
 jurious practice is, " liking to see the shoe well set off at the 
 heels."t 
 
 I know that I have a very prevalent and deep-rooted preju 
 dice to contend with in this manner ; still I do not despair of 
 convincing some, at least, of my readers that it is both unphilo- 
 sophical and detrimental ; it imposes upon the understanding 
 by deceiving the eye, and is in the last degree hurtful to the 
 horse's foot. When a shoe is thus set off at the heels, it im- 
 parts to the foot an appearance of greater width than it really 
 possesses ; but if the shoe happened to be made of glass, oi 
 some other transparent substance, the deception would be ai 
 once detected ; for then the outer edge of the foot would be 
 seen to rest on the inner edge only of the shoe,§ and the whole 
 of the remaining width of the web would be seen projecting 
 beyond the hoof, forming a convenient clip for another horse 
 to tread upon, but utterly useless as affording support to any 
 part of the foot itself. A common observer, on taking up a 
 foot with a shoe so fitted, looks only to the space between the 
 
 * Page 52, fig. 8. t Page 60, fig. 15. 
 
 I Page 53, fig. 9. § Page 54, fig. 10. 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND 19 
 
 heels of tlie shoe j and if he find that to be considerable, he 
 does not stop to inquire what quantity of the foot is exposed 
 by the opening, but seeing what he calls " a good open 
 foot," is satisfied, forgetting altogether that his inspection 
 never extended to the foot at all, but was confined exclusive- 
 ly to the shoe. 
 
 Having shown in what manner this practice is unphiloso- 
 phical, I will turn to the consideration of it as pernicious, it 
 beincr one of the commonest causes of a horse falling sudden- 
 ly lame, or dropping as if he had been shot, — two phrases 
 unluckily in much too common use to require explanation 
 here. 
 
 No portion of the foot needs protection from our hard stony 
 roads, like those which are comprised in the space betv/een 
 the heels ; for just in front of the cleft of the frog, immediate- 
 ly over the centre of that space, lies the navicular joint,* 
 which, it must be remembered, is compelled to sustain nearly 
 the whole weight of the horse, alternately with that of the 
 other foot at every movement he makes ; and is moreover 
 the seat of nine-tenths of the chronic lameness to which he is 
 liable. We must also remember, that this joint is formed by 
 the navicular bone and the tendon which passes under it ; 
 and we can readily imagine that its delicate membranes, be- 
 ing jammed against their own bone by the weight of the horse 
 and his rider on the one hand, and a stone resting upon a 
 hard road on the other hand, must receive a most painful and 
 distressing squeeze ; but if, as is too oflen the case, these 
 membranes chance to be in a state of inflammation, our 
 wonder may well cease that the poor animal should drop as 
 if he had been shot ; for more exquisite torture it is not possi- 
 ble to inflict upon him. 
 
 Again : if we take the weight of the horse at half a ton, 
 and that of his rider at eleven stone, and propel the combined 
 weights with the whole muscular power of the animal against 
 a firmly fixed stone, it would call for no great stretch of 
 imagination to conceive that the collision might sometimes 
 fracture so small a bone as the navicular bone, and produce 
 mstant and incurable lameness. These things do happen ; 
 and it is to obviate them, and the intermediate train of smaller 
 evils, that I always employ a tolerably wide-webbed shoe, 
 tnd bring in the heels of it almost close to the frog, so as to 
 "educe the opening between the heels as much as I con- 
 
 • Page 47, fig. 1. 
 
 U 
 
 
 // 
 
20 THE horse's foot, 
 
 veniently cai.: and, if in fitting the shoe, I observe a cornef 
 pressing upon, or in any way interfering with the frog, I 
 cause it to be cut off, rather than have the shoe opened out to 
 let in the frog ; for in opening out the shoe, a portion equal 
 to the objectionable corner must be thrust out beyond the 
 hoof, which is very undesirable, as presenting a ready hold 
 for stiff ground to pull the shoe off by. This plan of bringing 
 in the heels, while it covers and protects the angles whence 
 the bars are reflected,* at the same time draws the sides of 
 the shoe nearer together, and opposes to the stony road a 
 surface of iron instead of the unprotected foot, warding off 
 thereby many a blow, that would otherwise prove highly in- 
 jurious. 
 
 There is a notion very generally entertained, that the foot 
 receives its form from the shoe, — an inference, I take it, drawn 
 from the feet of Chinese ladies, but totally unsupported by 
 any thing which happens fo the foot of the horse : still it 
 does exist, and I have no doubt tends in a great degree to 
 keep up the prejudice in favor of open-heeled shoes. The 
 truth really is, that the shape of the shoe cannot by possibili, 
 ty influence the shape of the foot ; for the foot, being elastic, 
 expands to the weight of the horse in precisely the same de- 
 gree, whether it be resting upon the most open or the most 
 contracted shoe : it is the situation of the nails, and not the 
 shape of the shoe, that determines the form of the foot ; and 
 whether the shoe be wide or narrow, if the heels and quarters 
 of both sides be nailed to it, the foot will inevitably become 
 smaller and smaller, and the heels more and more contracted. 
 The most open shoe will avail no more than the narrowest. 
 If the nails, on the contrary, be placed in the outside quarter 
 and toe, leaving the heels and quarters of the inside, which 
 are the most expansive portions, free,"]" no shape that we can 
 give to the shoe can of itself change the form of the foot ; for, 
 supposing the shoe to be too contracted, the foot will expand 
 out over it, provided it be not restrained by the too backward 
 placing of the nails. I would not however be understood to 
 mean, that the shape of the shoe is therefore of no importance ; 
 for I trust I have already proved the contrary, while con- 
 sidering the mischievous tendency of that form whi ch is 
 *Mvell set off at the heels" — inviting, as it were with open 
 arms, every hard substance in the road "to come and do it3 
 worst;" as though the numerous ills the foot is unavoidably 
 
 ■ • ' ■ ■ — - I. .. — I ■ — .-I . ■ — . .1 ■- , , ■ - ... I -, ■ .1 ■■ — ■■ I ■■ !■ m 
 
 • Page 56, ag. 12. t Page 55, fig. 11. 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 21 
 
 exposed to, and which no ingenuity can avert, were not 
 sufficiently distressing to the horse, or vexatious in their con- 
 sequences to its owner. Seeing then that the shape of the 
 foot is in no way changed by the form of the shoe, both 
 wisdom and interest would prompt us to adopt that form 
 which possesses the greatest number of advantages with the 
 fewest disadvantages ; and such a form it shall now be my 
 endeavor to describe in detail. The shoe must, as we have 
 seen, possess substance enough to prevent its bending, and 
 width of web enough to ensure protection to the foot ; — the 
 thickness, like the width, of web, should continue precisely 
 the same from toe to heel,* and not, as is generally the case, 
 increase as it proceeds backwards, until at the heels it be- 
 comes fully doubled. f This is a great evil for many reasons, 
 and among others, that it throv/s the horse forwards upon the 
 toe, and causes him to strike it against every projection which 
 comes in its vvay. Now, as horses are quite sufficiently 
 prone to do this without the assistance of high-heeled shoes, 
 it should be our business to obviate it as much as possible ; 
 and I find this is best accomplished by keeping the heels of 
 an even thickness with the rest of the shoe, and turning up 
 the toe out of the line of wear,:!: thereby imparting to the toe 
 of a new shoe v/hen placed upon a flat surface, the same ele- 
 vation from the ground line as that of an old one. 
 
 In doing this we only carry out in the shoe what nature 
 has already done in the foot ; she has arched the toe of the 
 coffin bone,§ to diminish the effect of a jar at the toe ; and 
 we do the same to the shoe, to lessen the cause of the jar. 
 The common practice is just the reverse of this ; it welds a 
 lump of steel into the toe, which not only increases its thick- 
 ness, and the number of obstacles that it necessarily encoun- 
 ters, but, being of a harder texture, is longer wearing down, 
 and consequently exposes the foot to the greatest amount of 
 concussion. Supposing a horse to wear his shoes so hard, 
 that they v/ill not last a month, — much beyond which, as 
 the foot will outgrow them, they had better not last, — then 
 steel the toe ; but still let it be turned up as much out of the 
 line of wear as possible. A small clip at the point of the 
 toejl is very desirable as preventing displacement of the shoe 
 backwards : it need not be driven up hard ; it is merely re- 
 quired as a check or stay. The shoe should be sufficiently 
 
 * Page 59, fig. 14. t Page 58, fig. 13. t Page 48, fig. 2. 
 
 4 Pago 49, fig. 4. II Page 51, fig. 7. 
 
22 THE horse's foot, 
 
 long, fully to support the angles at the heels,* and not, as is 
 too often the case, so short, that a little wear imbeds the 
 edge of it in the horn at these parts. f The foot surface of 
 the shoe should always have a good flat even space left all 
 around for the crust to bear upon ;{ for it must be remem- 
 bered, that the crust sustains the whole weight of the horse, 
 and needs to have a perfectly even bearing everywhere 
 around the shoe. In this space the nail-holes should be 
 punched, § and not, as is too often the case, partly in it, and 
 partly in the seating. || In what is technically callea " back- 
 holing the shoe," which means completing the opening of the 
 nail-holes on the foot surface, great care should be taken to 
 give them an outward direction, so as to allow the points of 
 the nails to be brought out low dov/n in the crust. The re- 
 mainder of the foot surface should be carefully seated out, 
 particularly around the elevated toe, IT where it might other- 
 wise press inconveniently upon the sole ; and I would have 
 the seating carried on fairly to the point where the crust 
 and the bars meet, in order that there may be no pressure 
 in the seat of corns : the chance of pressure in this situa- 
 tion will be further diminished by bevelling off the inner 
 edge of the heels with a rasp. 
 
 The ground surface should be perfectly flat, with a fuller- 
 ing or groove running round the outer edge, just under 
 the plain surface, whereon the crust bears.** The princi- 
 pal use of the fuller is to receive the heads of the nails 
 that secure the shoe, and prevent their bending or breaking 
 off: — it is further useful in increasing the hold of the shoe 
 upon the ground, and with this view I always have it 
 carried back to the heels. 
 
 The danger apprehended from the shoe being applied to 
 the foot so hot as to burn the crust, and cause it to smoke, 
 is utterly groundless. I would not have it made to burn 
 Itself into its place upon the foot, without the assistance of 
 rasp or drawing-knife, but I would have it tried to the 
 foot sufficiently hot to scorch every part that bears unevenly 
 upon it ; because the advantage of detecting such pro- 
 jecting portions is very great, and this mode of accomplish- 
 ing it is positively harmless. Indeed it is the only one by 
 which the even bearing necessary to a perfect fitting of the 
 shoe can be insured. 
 
 * Page 61, fig. 16. t Page 60, fig. 15. t Page 51, fig. 7. 
 § Page 61, fig. 16. || Page 60, fig. 15. IT Page 51, fig. 7. 
 «« Page 52, fig. 8. 
 
AND HOW TO Wk.£P IT SOUND. 23 
 
 No shoe should ever be nailed to the foot until it has been 
 ascertained that the pressure of the hands is sufficient to 
 keep it steadily in its place, and preclude any appearance 
 of daylight between it and the foot ; for, if the shoe does 
 not accurately correspond to the surface of the foot, but is 
 disposed to shift about upon it, the nails will be exposed 
 to a constant strain in order to keep it in its place; whereas 
 they should merely have to hold it to the foot, and not, as 
 it were, to keep it there by force. 
 
 The shoes should not be permitted to remain on the 
 horse's feet more than two or three weeks without removal ; 
 for in that time the heads of the nails will have become 
 worn, and, from fitting the holes less perfectly than before, 
 will admit of a trifling motion of the shoe upon the nails ; 
 whereby the holes in the hoof will be enlarged, and the 
 security of the shoe endangered. Another reason for re- 
 moving the shoes, is the opportunity which it affords of 
 paring away those portions of horn which in a state of na- 
 ture would have been worn down by contact with the ground. 
 
 The next circumstance to be considered is one of vital 
 importance to our subject, as upon it depends the amount of 
 disturbance that the natural functions of the foot are destined 
 to sustain from the shoe ; viz., the number and situation of 
 the nails which are to secure it to the foot. If they be 
 numerous, and placed back in the quarters and heels, no 
 form of shoe, be it ever so perfect, can save the foot from 
 contraction and navicular disease. If on the contrary they 
 be few, and placed in the outside quarter and toe, leaving 
 the inside quarter and heels quite free to expand, no form 
 of shoe is so bad that it can, from defective form alone, pro- 
 duce contraction of the foot. 
 
 Three years ago I commenced a series of experiments 
 upon shoeing, with a view, among other things, of ascertain- 
 ing how few nails are absolutely necessary, under ordinary 
 circumstances, for retaining a shoe securely in its place. 
 The subjects of my experiments were six horses of my own, 
 and three belonging to friends ; the nine among them repre- 
 senting very fairly the different classes of pleasure horses ; 
 not indeed including hunters or race-horses, each of which 
 require a separate and totally different treatment, but car- 
 riage horses, ladies' horses, and roadsters ; and they also in- 
 cluded the common variations in form and texture of the 
 generality of horses' feet. 
 
 When my attention was first directed to the subject of 
 
24 THE HORSE'S FOOT, 
 
 nailing, I was employing seven nails in each fore, and eight 
 in each hind shoe. I then withdrew one nail from each 
 shoe, thus reducing the number to six in .he fore, and seven 
 in the hind shoes ; and finding at the end of a year that the 
 shoes of all the horses had been as firmly retained as former, 
 ly, I withdrew another nail from each shoe, leaving only 
 five in the fore shoes and six in the hind. I found, however, 
 that six nails would not retain the hind shoe of a carriage 
 horse, without allowing it sometimes to shift ; so I returned 
 to seven in the hind shoes, and have continued to employ that 
 number ever since : but five have retained all the fore shoes 
 as firmly during the whole of the last year and a half, as 
 six had previously done. 
 
 I have invariably directed and superintended the whole 
 operation of shoeing during these experiments ; and have 
 always been very careful to mark that the nails were not 
 driven high up in the crust, but brought out as soon as possi- 
 ble ; and that they were very lightly driven up before the 
 clinches were turned down, and not, as is generally the 
 case, forced up with all the power that the smith can hring 
 to bear upon them with his hammer. I mention these cir- 
 cumstances to show that my object really was to ascertain 
 how little would retain a shoe, and to what extent the foot 
 might be relieved from the evil of unnecessaiy restraint; a 
 matter sometimes of great moment, and at all times desi- 
 rable. 
 
 The clinches should not be rasped away too fine, but 
 turned dov/n broad and firm. The practice of rasping the 
 whole surface of the hoof after the clinches have been turned 
 down, should never be permitted ; it destroys the covering 
 provided by nature as a protection against the too rapid 
 evaporation of the moisture of the hoof, and causes the horn 
 to become dry and brittle. 
 
 Two of the horses alluded to above, worked for some time 
 with only four nails in their fore shoes. 
 
 I have detailed these experiments with a view to expose 
 the groundless nature of the fear that expects to cast a shoe 
 at every step, unless it be held to the foot by eight or nine 
 nails, driven high into the crust. If the presence of a nail 
 in the crust were a matter of no moment, and two or three 
 more than are necessary were merely useless, there would be 
 no great reason to interfere with this practice of making 
 " assurance doubly sure ;" but it is far otherwise, — the nails 
 separate the fibres of the horn, and they never by any chance 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 5SJ 
 
 become united again, but continue asunder and unclosed, 
 until by degrees they grow down with the rest of the hoof, 
 and are ultimately, after repeated shoeings, removed by the 
 knife. 
 
 If the clinches should happen to rise, they must be re- 
 placed without delay ; as such rising imparts to the nails a 
 freedom of motion which is sure to enlarge the size of the 
 holes, — and this mischief is often increased by the violent 
 wrenching which the shoe undergoes from side to side in the 
 process of removal by the smith. 
 
 Now as these holes cannot possibly grow down, and be re- 
 moved under three shoeings, it will be found that even with 
 seven nails, the crust must always have twenty-one of these 
 separations existing in it at the same time ; and as they are 
 often from a variety of causes extended into each other, they 
 necessarily keep it in a brittle unhealthy state, and materially 
 interfere with the security of the future nail-hold-. Un- 
 luckily the common practice under such circumstances is to 
 increase the number of nails, with the view of ensuring the 
 security of the shoe, while on the contrary it increases the 
 evil. My object is to show that these shaky places, as they 
 are called, may be relieved by the omission of one or two 
 of the nails, without endangering the security of the shoe. 
 Suppose the number employed to be seven, — to gain such an 
 end they may be safely reduced to five, which is the largest 
 number I have employed for more than two years ; and until 
 I discover some good reason for increasing it, it is the largest 
 I intend to employ. But I am far from advising the general 
 adoption of this number ; for if from imperfect fitting of the 
 shoe, misplacement of the nails, neglect of removing in proper 
 time, or from any other cause, the horse should chance to 
 cast a shoe, the whole blame would be attributed to the five 
 nails, and the poor beast in all probability be doomed to 
 eight or nine for the remainder of his life. I do, however 
 very strongly advise the adoption of six, knowing them to be 
 fully sufficient for retaining the shoes of all pleasure horsea 
 under all circumstances, except perhaps hunters. Since the 
 foregoing was published. Colonel Luttrell, master of the 
 Somersetshire fox-hounds, has informed me that the horse 
 which he rode most frequently last season was shod with 
 six nails only, — not one of which, in consequence of his cut- 
 ting a good deal, was placed in the inner quarter, — and thai 
 he experienced no inconvenience whatever from the plan. 
 If I had entertained the smallest doubt about their efficiency, 
 
 3 
 
26 THE horse's FOOT, 
 
 it would have been entirely removed on the arrival of the 
 Thirteenth Light Dragoons last year in Exeter ; for among 
 till? horses of that regiment, I found, through the kindness of 
 Lieut. Col. Brunton, who allowed me to inspect the shoeing, 
 the strongest possible confirmation of the truth of my posi- 
 tion. Here were horses with every variety of feet shod with 
 six nails only, and these all placed in the outside limb and 
 toe of the shoe, all the remainder of the shoe remaining free 
 and unattached to the foot. Mr. Legrew, the very intelligent 
 veterinary surgeon of the regiment, informed me that he had 
 not employed more than six nails for nearly two years, and 
 that the loss of a shoe was a very rare occurrence with them, 
 even on a field-day, than which there is scarcely any work 
 more trying to the security of horses' shoes. Any mode of 
 fastening that has proved itself eiqual to retaining the shoes 
 through a long field-day, in stiff ground, may very safely be 
 recommended as fully sufficient for all ordinary purposes. 
 
 The question of the efficiency of six nails for road work 
 is settled, I should think, to the satisfaction of the most skep- 
 tical, by the fact of the Thirteenth having done the Queen's 
 escort duty during their year at Hounslow without the loss 
 of a single shoe. Any one acquainted with the rapid pace 
 at which her Majesty invariably travels on the road, will 
 readily admit the sufficiency of the test. 
 
 During the last six months I have arranged my five nails 
 upon this " system of one-sided nailing," recommended and 
 first practised by Mr. James Turner; and the result has 
 been most satisfactory, — the shoes have not only been firmly, 
 but easily held to the feet, as is evidenced by the clinches 
 not having risen in one single instance, — a clear proof that 
 the struggle between the expansion of the foot and the re» 
 sistance of the shoe is entirely overcome by this mode ot 
 fastening. A further experience of nine months since th« 
 publication of the first edition, has fully confirmed the above 
 conclusions in every particular. This very desirable end 
 appears to be attained in the following manner : the outer 
 side of the foot, being the only part nailed to the shoe, carries 
 the whole shoe with it at every expansion ; while the inner 
 side, being unattached, expands independently of it, whereby 
 all strain upon the nails is avoided, and the foot is left, with 
 respect to its power of expansion, as nearly as possible in a 
 state of nature. 
 
 An unexpected benefit has arisen to one of my horses frora 
 this plan, in the total disappearance of two very troublesom« 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 27 
 
 corns : they had existed in his feet for ten years, during 
 seven of which I tried every plan that I had ever heard of 
 as likely to effect a cure, — both in form of shoe and local 
 application, — without, however, any decided advantage ; but 
 the adoption of this plan of fastening the shoe to the foot, by 
 removing all restraint and pressure from the part, has acci- 
 dentally achieved that which I had so long sought in vain. 
 
 Since writing the above, I learned that a commercial trav- 
 eller, who was detained in Exeter on account of an accident, 
 had for some time past employed only five nails, placed in 
 the outer limb and toe of his horse's fore shoes. Upon hear- 
 ing which, I made a point of seeing him ; and he informed me, 
 that he always performed his journeys on horseback ; that 
 they averaged full five thousand miles a year, and that his 
 comfort necessarily depended very much upon the freedom of 
 action and safe going of his horse ; that about fourteen weeks 
 ago he found him stepping short, and going tenderly, and con- 
 sulted a veterinary surgeon about it, who advised his being 
 shod with five nails only upon the one-sided plan of nailmg, 
 asserting, at the same time, that he had recommended and 
 employed that plan very extensively with most beneficial 
 results. It was accordingly tried, and he very soon had the 
 gratification of feeling his horse move under him with a firm 
 and confident step, most unlike that to which he had lately 
 been accustomed. He told me, that further experience had 
 only confirmed his first impression ; and that he should con- 
 tinue to shoe upon the same system, with the same number of 
 nails ; that the first pair of shoes set at rest all his doubts and 
 fears about the insecurity of the plan, for he had occasion to 
 ride his horse, in the new shoes, thirty miles a day for the 
 first six days in succession ; and that they were as fiimly 
 attached to the feet at the end of one hundred and eighty 
 miles, as they were at the commencement of the journey ; 
 and that they continued firm, until the horse was reshod, 
 which did not happen for five weeks. He also told me, that 
 he has found five nails retain a shoe, with leather between it 
 and the foot, for an equally long period. I have, likewise, 
 myself tested their capability of holding a shoe with leather 
 under it, having shod a horse in that manner for the last two 
 months ; and although I have not permitted the shoe to re- 
 main on for five weeks without removal, I have satisfied my- 
 self that they are fully equal to retaining the shoe as long £is 
 IX ought to remain on. i 
 
 The horse in question is as unfavorable a subject for the 
 
28 THE borse's foot, 
 
 experiment as cauld have been selected, being twenty jesna 
 old, with large, flat, brittle feet, and high action. He is^ 
 moreover, of a nervous temperament, and occasionally knocks 
 his feet about very much : I have, nevertheless, continued to 
 shoe him in leatlier during the nine niontbs which have 
 elapsed since the publication of the foregoing, and the result 
 has shown the plan to have been eminently successful : the 
 character of the horn has changed from brittle and shaky tc 
 firm and tough, and affords secure nail-hold in every part» 
 His shoes, which were removed three weeks ago, are now en- 
 tirely worn out, and I thought it might prove interesting ta 
 those who, like myself, wish to know how little will retain a 
 shoe, when it has been once accurately fitted to the foot, if I 
 recorded the particialars o>f the examination which I made of 
 them this morning. 1 found them securely held to the feet^ 
 and the clinches unmoved :— not one of the five nails, which 
 constituted the only fastening of either of the fore shoes, had 
 penetrated quite an inch up the crust, befare it was brought 
 out and clinched down ; and the last on the inside, which 
 was five inches and three-quarters from the heel, barely ex- 
 tended three-quarters of an inch up the crest. Lighter fast- 
 ening than this cannot be conceived, and, I take it, could only 
 succeed, where the horn has become solid, and the shoe has 
 been fitted with great care. The sip.allest uneven bearing of 
 the crust upon the shoe, or the least .projection of the shoe 
 beyond the hoof, at the quarters or sides of the heels, would 
 to a certainty endanger its security. 
 
 I may here remark, that the habit of encumbering the sols 
 and frog with a thick layer of tow between them and the 
 leather, is very objectionable r it causes unnecessary heat 
 and pressure, and should for these reasons be avoided. The 
 principal object of tow is to block up the openings, through 
 which gravel and dirt would otherwise insinuate themselves 
 between the leather and the foot ; its presence should there- 
 fore be confined to the clefl of the frog, — ^the commissures, — - 
 and the angles between the heels and the bars. These parts 
 should be filled to a level with the body of the frog, so as to 
 enable them to share the pressure with it ; but none should be 
 permitted to rest upon the frog itself. The Jong straggling 
 ends should be collected together, and spread over the sole — 
 the ends of one side being made to overlap those of the other. 
 By this plan they will become fixed in the tar and grease, 
 with which the foot ought previously to have been liberally 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 29 
 
 Pressed, and will materially assist in overcoming thfe .endency 
 tliat the tow has to work itself out. 
 
 Much of the inconvenience supposed to arise from shoeing 
 with leather, is caused by the injudicious placement of the 
 tow. I believe that many horses derive great comfort from 
 liaving leather inserted between the foot and the shoe ; par- 
 ticularly when the surface of the roads is broken up, and 
 strewed with loose stones. Its use is sometimes objected to 
 on the ground that it rots the frog ; but this is altogether a 
 mistake : what appears to be decayed frog, is nothing more 
 than aii accumulation of the natural exfoliation of horn, 
 which the presence of the leather has not allowed to escape. 
 
 In the first edition I omitted to say any thing about the 
 treatment of the hind foot, because I considered it of less 
 importance than that of the fore foot ; but as I was repeatedly 
 assured that a few general remarks upon it would not prove 
 altogether mnacceptabie, I availed myself of the first oppor- 
 tunity that offered of appending them. 
 
 The hind foot certainly does not demand the same meas- 
 ure of attention as the fore foot, inasmuch as its position in 
 the horse and the nature of its office render it less liable to 
 injury, and consequently, less frequently lame. It is, how- 
 ever, by no means entirely exempt, nor does it ahvays escape 
 disease of its navicular joint; for I have myself found dis- 
 ease in a navicular bone taken from a hind foot. This 
 being the case, then, we should endeavor to guard against it 
 by interfering as little as possible with its expansive power ; 
 and that will be best done by keeping the nails on the inside 
 as far removed from the heel as we conveniently can, to 
 which end I recommend the employment of seven nails only, 
 —four to be placed in the outer and three in the inner side 
 of the shoe. The holes in the inner side are to be punched 
 closer together, and kept more towards the toe than those on 
 the outsMe, which need to be more spread out, as affording 
 greater security of hold to the foot. The shoe should be 
 carefully fitted to the hoof all round, particularly at the heels, 
 which are too commonly left without any support whatever ; 
 and the mischievous custom of turning down the outer heel 
 only must be avoided, because it throws the weight entirely 
 wpon the inner quarter, which is the part the least able to bear 
 it, and causes much uncomfortable strain to the fetlock joint 
 above. Calkins, even though they may be turned down of 
 perfectly even lengths or. each side, which, however, is very 
 rarely done, are objectionable appendages, and had better be 
 
 3* 
 
30 THE EOESS'S FOOTy 
 
 dispensed with, excepting, perhaps, for very heavy draft, 
 where their ends, by entering the ground, may prevent the 
 foot from slipping backwards, and may thus enable the toe to 
 obtain a firmer hold. For carriage and riding horses I much 
 prefer to have the shoe, for the last two inches, made gradu- 
 ally thicker towards the ground surface, the last inch being 
 plane with the ground ; and I believe that such a form often 
 prevents strains of the back sinews, when a horse is suddenly 
 stopped with his hind feet far under him, or when he has to 
 hold back a carriage against a steep hill. 
 
 The toe being the part of the hind shoe which is exposed 
 to the greatest wear, requires to have considerable substance 
 given to it, and should always be accompanied by a strong 
 narrow clip turned up in front of the hoof, to obviate the dan- 
 ger of the shoe being forced back upon the foot, a circum- 
 stance very likely to happen where a clip is not employed^ 
 Clips on the side of the foot are of very doubtful advantage in 
 retaining the shoe, and are decidedly objectionable, as occu- 
 pying the place of nails, which would perform the duty much 
 more efficiently, and inflict less injury upon the horn. The 
 common objection urged against a clip at the toe, viz. that it 
 causes the unpleasant noise called " forging," arises from the 
 abuse rather than the use of it ; for if we consider for a mo- 
 ment how " forging" is occasioned, we shall see that a stout 
 narrow clip, properly let into the horn at the toe, is not at all 
 likely to produce it, although a broad clumsy one, extending 
 from side to side of the toe, occasionally may. 
 
 Before a horse can advance his fore foot, he must disen- 
 gage it from the ground ; — to effect this he is obliged to raise 
 it in a direction inclining upwards and backwards, and, if he 
 happen to dwell in the performance of this preliminary move- 
 ment, the hind foot, which is propelled forwards and down- 
 wards, to be deposited beyond the spot that was the moment 
 before occupied by the fore foot, comes into collision with 
 it, and forces the toe, clip and all, into the hollow of the 
 fore foot turned up ready to receive it. Now in doing this 
 the clip is not brought into immediate contact with iron, but 
 is struck against either sole or frog, as the case may be, and 
 cannot produce any very audible sound : the truth is, that the 
 offensive noise is caused by the meeting of the edges of the 
 two shoes at the points, where the hind shoe is stopped from 
 entering further into the opening of the fore shoe. 
 
 These points of contact are almost always indicated by a 
 bright spot on each side of the rim of the hind shoe, and ar® 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 31 
 
 generally to be found at the extremities of the toe on either 
 side, just where the shoe begins to turn backwards, and they 
 should be removed by the file : — indeed it is a good plan al- 
 ways to make the front of the toe of the hind shoe to incline 
 backwards, as it approaches the ground, so as to place the 
 gro ad surface somewhat further back than the foot sur- 
 face. 
 
 There is one other circumstance connected with the toe of 
 the hind shoe deserving of notice ; I mean that part with 
 which a horse inflicts upon himself the injury called an 
 " overreach," and which is erroneously supposed to be the 
 front of the shoe at the toe, whereas it is invariably caused by 
 the back edge of the web at the toe, which in an old shoe be- 
 comes as sharp as a knife, and often cuts out a piece from the 
 soft parts immediately above the heel of the fore foot as cleaD 
 as any knife could have done it. To avoid this accident 
 which sometimes produces very great inconvenience, the bacf 
 -sdge of the web all round the toe should be filed away, unti 
 it presents a blunt rounded surface, which, if it should fail J 
 preventing the overreach altogether, will at least preserve tli» 
 parts from being wounded. 
 
 While treating of the hind shoe, I m^y perhaps be expected 
 to give some directions for obviating the inconvenient habi.. 
 which some horses have of " cutting ;" but as each individual 
 horse has his own particular mode of doing it, any generai 
 rule as applied to the shoe, must of necessity fail to meet the 
 requirements of the great majority of cases. Oar first care 
 should be to acquaint ourselves with the exact part of the 
 shoe with which the injury is inflicted : — until this is clearljf 
 ascertained we shall be working in the dark, an^ most proba- 
 bly do a great deal more than is necessary. The plan I have 
 always adopted has been to apply a boot covered with we^. 
 pipe-clay to the injured leg, and then to trot the horse some 
 little distance : — the result has been the transfer of a portior; 
 of the pipe-clay to the offending part of the opposite shoe, 
 thereby indicating the necessity of its removal. The smali 
 extent, and little suspected situation of such part, is some- 
 times truly surprising. I once, in a case of inveterate cutting, 
 found the pipe-clay adhering to the outside toe. In this case 
 the poor horse had been subjected to shoes of every conceiva- 
 ble shape and deformity, without, of course, any other result 
 than the torture arising from the twisting and straining con- 
 sequent upon uneven bearing : but the moment the offend- 
 ing part was discovered and removed, the cutting ceased ; 
 
82 THE horse's foot, 
 
 even bearing was then restored to the foot, and the horse 
 thereby placed in comfort. 
 
 Cutting with the fore foot is almost always to be prevented 
 by one-sided nailing, and keeping the shoe a little within the 
 edge of the crust on the inner side; but as this is generally 
 overdone, by placing the shoe so much within as to depri e 
 the crust of its requisite support, it will be advisable to as- 
 certain, by the use of pipe-clay, the exact point with which 
 the shoe strikes, when the part needing alteration at once dis- 
 closes itself. 
 
 The practice of shoeing horses in the stable, away from the 
 forge, where there is no possibility of correcting any defect 
 in the fitting of the shoe, is so utterly opposed to reason and 
 common sense, that I should only have adverted to it as a 
 custom of bygone days, exploded with the use of the but- 
 tress, and the notion of chest founder, if I had not actually 
 witnessed its perpetration four times within the last year, and 
 that too in the stables of gentlemen by no means addicted 
 upon other matters to yield their judgment a ready captive to 
 other men's prejudices. Now if either of these gentlemen 
 had happened to ask the smith "what he was doing?" the 
 answer would in all probability have awakened him to a sud- 
 den conviction, that he was giving his countenance to a most 
 unphilosophical proceeding ; for the smith would have told 
 him, that he was fitting a shoe to the horse's foot, which the 
 gentleman would at once perceive to be impossible ; inasmuch 
 as he had no means at hand whereby to effect the smallest 
 change in the form of the shoe, however much it might re- 
 quire it ; and the truth would instantly force itself upon him, 
 that the man was fitting the foot to the shoe, and not, as he 
 supposed, the shoe to the foot. To fit the shoe to the foot 
 without the aid of anvil and forge is impossible ; and any 
 one acquainted with the exactness and precision necessary 
 to a perfect fitting, would not hesitate to declare the attempt 
 to be as absurd as it is mischievous. Suppose, for example, 
 the shoe to be a little too wide in any particular part ; this 
 will throw the nail-holes rather further out than they ought 
 to be ; but as there are no means of altering it, there the 
 nails must be driven, and a constant strain outwards will be 
 the inevitable consequence : if on the contrary it be too nar- 
 row, the strain will be inwards, and press upon the sensitive 
 parts of the foot : in either case producing uneasiness, and 
 causing the horse to move with a feeling, undecided step. 
 Again : if the crust have not an even bearing everywhere 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 8S 
 
 upon the foot surface of the shoe, the part so deprived of 
 support, being elastic, will be unable to resist the pressure 
 from above, or the outward thrust of the parts within, and 
 yielding to this twofold force, will drag upon the elastic 
 union between the hoof and the internal parts of the foot at 
 that particular place, and cause great uneasiness ; and this 
 is by no means an unfrequent source of stumbling and broken 
 knees. 
 
 Although I do not mean to assert that shoeing at the forge 
 will of itself ensure good fitting, I do assert that it is attended 
 with this great advantage — that, if the smith be inclined to 
 do it well, it supplies him with the means of indulging his 
 inclination ; whereas in the stable, no quantity of zeal will 
 enable him to do more than make the best of a bad matter. 
 
 The only reason I have ever heard in defence of this 
 practice, is the alleged liability of horses to take cold from 
 exposure to the drafts in a smith's forge. I can only say in 
 answer, that it has never happened to my own ; and I believe 
 that a little care, and some extra clothing would ensure the 
 same exemption for others. 
 
 Although it is no part of my plan to enter upon the sub- 
 ject of shoeing hunters, or plating race-horses, I may sUH 
 perhaps be excused for offering a few general observations 
 upon both, before I take leave of the subject of shoeing al- 
 together. 
 
 In reference to the hunter, I would advise, as soon as th^ 
 hunting season is over, and the altered nature of his work 
 will admit of it, that his feet be relieved, as much as possible 
 by the substitution of longer shoes, with broader web, and 
 fewer fastenings, particularly on the inside ; and that he 
 continue to be so shod, until the return of the hunting season 
 calls again for the hunting shoe. It is too much the custom 
 to consider, that because a horse happens to be a hunter, 
 he must therefore be shod all the year round in short shoes 
 so firmly fastened to his feet that the foot itself would be as 
 likely to be pulled off as the shoe. 
 
 A far greater difference is made between the shoe of a 
 hunter and the shoe of a hack than there need be, both in 
 form and fastenings ; and many a valuable horse has been 
 disabled for a whole season, if not ruined for life, because a 
 shoe could not come off, and save the foot and leg from a 
 fearful strain. When the wrencn is verv violent the shoe 
 had better yield. 
 
 With regard to race-horses, I am confident that a greater 
 
34 THE hoese's foot, 
 
 number lose their races from the situation and number of 
 the nails employed in plating, than from any other causa 
 whatever, not even excepting the trickery and tampering; 
 sometimes practised, but oftener I believe unjustly suspected. 
 
 The dread of casting a plate is so great, that it is no un- 
 common thing to see them secured by eight or nine nails, ex- 
 tended from heel to heel. Now it is impossible that a hoof 
 so fettered can yield or expand to any force applied to it 
 through the medium of the weight and power of the horse ; 
 and it is also certain, that, if the hoof do not expand, the vio- 
 lence with which a race-horse lashes the ground at every 
 stride, must needs squeeze the sensitive parts very uncom- 
 fortably between the bones of the foot and this unyielding 
 hoof, and deter him in some degree from throwing his whole 
 weight with all his heart into his feet, as he does when he 
 has no apprehension of producing pain thereby. Now let us 
 see what the effect of stepping short, say only one inch, upon 
 each stride would be in running over the Derby course, (a 
 mile and a half.) 
 
 The estimated stride of a race-horse averages twenty. four 
 feet: it would therefore require three hundred and thirty such 
 strides to accomplish the proposed distance ; and the loss of 
 one inch only upon each stride would give a total loss upon 
 the whole distance of three hundred and thirty inches, or 
 nine yards and six inches, — equal to rather more than three 
 lengths of a horse sixteen hands high : but suppose the loss 
 of distance to be four inches upon each stride, which it is 
 much more likely to be ; then the loss would be thirty-six 
 yards and two feet, or thirteen lengths ; fully enough to raise 
 a cry of " foul play," " the horse is amiss," &c. Now no 
 jockey in the world, however frequently he may have ridden 
 a horse, could so exactly measure his stride, as to be enabled 
 to detect a deficiency of one seventy -second part of it, which 
 four inches would be ; much less could he detect the two 
 hundred and eighty-eighth part of it, which one inch would be ; 
 so that he could never make himself acquainted with the real 
 cause of so signal and unexpected a defeat ; and the whole 
 snatter would remain involved in mystery, casting suspicion 
 and distrust on all around. 
 
 How commonly do we hear that a horse performed his last 
 gallop at a much better pace than he ran his race ; and what 
 a catalogue of causes are conjured up to account for the fall- 
 ing off in his speed ; not one of which in all probability has 
 aay thing to do with the matter, .t would most likely be 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 35 
 
 found that he had taken his gallop in shoes to which his feet 
 had become accustomed ; but he ran his race in new plates 
 firmly nailed from heel to h^el, "making him quite safe," by 
 putting it out of the range ot possibility that he should ever 
 be enabled to "get into his best pace," for there is nothing 
 more certain than the fact, that a horse cannot go his best 
 pace unless his feet are allowed to expand freely to his 
 weight at every stride, A ready way of permitting this ex- 
 pansion would be the adoption of three-quarter plates extend- 
 ing from the outer heel to the commencement of the inner 
 quarter, which would effectually protect those parts most ex- 
 posed to wear and tear in the generality of horses' feet, viz. 
 from the inner toe across the foot to the outer-quarter. Such 
 a plate might be very securely retained by six nails dis- 
 tributed between the outer heel and inner toe, thereby re- 
 serving to the whole inner side of the hoof its uncontrolled 
 power of expansion. 
 
 I turn now to the consideration of a subject of fully as 
 much importance to the health and soundness of a horse's 
 foot as good shoeing itself; I mean that inestimable blessing 
 to him, freedom of motion in the stable. The advantages of a 
 loose box are so little understood by horse-masters in general, 
 that its usefulness is almost entirely limited in their estima- 
 tion to sickness and disease : and it is no uncommon si^ht to 
 behold two or three loose boxes untenanted, because, forsooth, 
 there are no sick horses in the stud. 
 
 I was first led to divide my stable into boxes instead of stalls 
 from motives of compassion for my horse, and a desire to rid 
 myself of the uncomfortable feeling it always produces in 
 me, to see so docile and generous an animal subject to even 
 greater restraint than a wild beast in a menagerie ; for the 
 lion or tiger is permitted freely to traverse his small den, 
 while the poor horse is chained by the head to a fixed point 
 in his still smaller den, a prisoner twice imprisoned, and 
 denied even the poor relief afforded by a change of position. 
 I little thought, while thus solely bent upon ministering to 
 my horse's comfort, how essentially I was furthering my 
 own interest, until an accident brought me acquainted with 
 Mr. James Turner's invaluable treatise on the foot of the 
 horse, where I first learned, what subsequent experience has 
 fully confirmed to me, the wonderful extent to which the 
 usefulness of the horse is secured and prolonged by the free- 
 dom of motion obtained in a loose box. We have already 
 seen how materially his usefulness is impaired by th« 
 
30 THE HORSE S FOOI, 
 
 smallest injury to the navicular joint; and we have aim 
 seen the beautiful provision nature has made for its pra- 
 tection from injury in the elastic cushion interposed be- 
 tween it and the horny frog. It shall now be my endeavor to 
 show in what manner a loose box tends to keep this cushioD 
 in a healthy state of elasticity. 
 
 Nature fomis nothing in vain ; all her works are designed 
 for specific purposes ; each organ has its separate function 
 assigned to it ; and the only condition upon which she will 
 consent to keep it in efficient repair, is the regular and 
 periodical performance of that function. For instance, sup- 
 pose an accident deprive a man of the use of his arm for a 
 few months ; the muscles at the end of that period will be 
 found visibly shrunk, and the whole arm considerably smaller 
 than its companion, constituting, in horsemen's language, " a 
 very bad match." Here the non-employment of the muscles 
 has accelerated the process of absorption, while that of res- 
 toration has been nearly suspended. The muscles of the 
 other arm on the contrary, being regularly employed, have- 
 earned and received their due measure of restoration, and 
 retain their origrinal dimensions : and so it is with the elastic 
 cushion in the horse's foot ; if we deprive the horse of the 
 power of alternately expanding and contracting his foot, as 
 nature intended he should do, this cushion will shrink and 
 lose its elasticity ; but if we supply him with the means of 
 doing so, he will avail himself of them, and its elasticity 
 will be retained to a good old age. 
 
 The almost perpetual movement of a horse in a state of 
 nature, while grazing, greatly tends to preserve the different 
 elastic parts of his foot in a sound and healthy condition, by 
 the regular compression and expansion which they undergo,, 
 according as his weight is thrown upon or removed from 
 them ; but if we chain him to a post for twenty-two out of 
 every twenty-four hours, we can scarcely wonder that so 
 unnatural a proceeding should derange an organ that re- 
 quires motion to preserve it in health. Take, in illustration 
 of the mischievous tendency of this practice, the horses of a 
 cavalry regiment : they have every thing in favor of sound 
 feet except the stall and the rack chain ; they are entirely 
 exempt from the hard work which is generally referred to 
 as the cause of grogginess ; they have no oft-repeated and 
 long journeys to perform at a fast pace on the hard road ; 
 their exercise, shoeing, grooming, and feeding are all ad- 
 ministered with clockwork regularity ; the litter is carefully 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. . 87 
 
 removed from under their feet during the day ; the veterinary 
 surgeon is always at hand, to attend to the first symptom 
 of lameness ; and still there are more horses cast as un- 
 serviceable every year from disabilities commencing in the 
 foot, than from all other causes combined. The rest, and 
 not the work^ has wrought the ill. Now let us see how loose 
 boxes are to prevent these evils. When a horse is free to 
 move, he very rarely remains long in the same place or the 
 same position ; he is perpetually turning himself about, 
 either to catch a distant sound, or observe an approaching 
 footstep : every thing attracts him ; every thing interests 
 him ; and, what is of far greater moment, every thing causes 
 him to move ; whereby each foot is benefited to the extent 
 of some four or five expansions and contractions ; and the 
 sound of the corn-bin at feeding-time will produce at least 
 fifty such. It is far otherwise with the poor beast chained 
 up in a stall ; he is attracted by the same sounds ; hears 
 the same step approach ; and feels the same interest : he 
 pricks his ears, bends his head, and strains his neck ; but 
 alas ! he does not move ; his feet are not expanded ; turning 
 about he knows to be impossible, and therefore he does not 
 attempt it ; even the sound of the corn-bin, though it excite 
 him to jump and play, will scarcely cause him to expand 
 his feet ; the excitement inclines him to rush forward, while 
 the wall forbids him to comply ; and he is forced to collect 
 himself, so as to throw his weight upon his hind quarters, 
 almost to the entire exclusion of the fore feet. Horses ac- 
 customed to a loose box generally acquire a slow, deliberate 
 movement in it, allowing their weight to dwell evenly and 
 fully upon each fore foot ; while those kept in a stall for the 
 most part move in it with a quick, sudden, catching motion, 
 scarcely ever intrusting their whole weight to either foot for 
 more than an instant. 
 
 In speaking of the baneful effects of stalls, Mr. Turner 
 says, " I firmly believe, that if every valuable horse in this 
 kingdom were to be forthwith turned into a large box, night 
 and day, besides the continuance at his ordinary work, i1 
 would prove the worst event for veterinary surgeons that haa 
 ever happened in the horse world ; because it would teno 
 more to cut off our supply of groggy lameness and its at- 
 tendants, than any circumstance or single cause that haa 
 ever yet been published or even named." 
 
 With the expression of my entire concurrence in this 
 opinion, I will proceed to consider the objections commonly 
 
 4 
 
*» 
 
 SB THE horse's foot, 
 
 urged against loose box<^s, which for the most part are so 
 weak, that I cannot conceive their prevailing much longer 
 against such vast advantages : the only serious one is want 
 of space ; and that is often pleaded where it has no real ex- 
 istence. Most modern stables are built with stalls from six 
 to seven feet wide, with plenty of room behind the horses to 
 allow of passing without incurring the danger of being 
 kicked : — in such a stable, sink a second heel-post at just 
 sufficient distance from the wall to allow a free passage ; 
 and take the space, so gained, into the stall ; close it with a 
 gate, and you will have a very fair substitute, in the absence 
 of a better, for a loose box, and that too without sacrificing a 
 standing for a horse : but, if a stall can be conveniently 
 spared, a four-stalled stable may be converted into three 
 very good boxes by shifting the divisions, and taking in the 
 space in the rear of the horses.* 
 
 Upon the whole, I very much prefer this kind of arrange- 
 ment (with, of course, as much space as can be afforded to 
 each division) to boxes separated from each other by walls ; 
 for the horse is naturally a social animal, and his enjoyment 
 is greatly increased by seeing, as well as hearing, his com- 
 panions. The best kind of partition between such boxes is 
 " brick noggin," cased on each side with board, and sur- 
 mounted by iron rails : the former may be about five feet in 
 height, and the latter about two. But as the wall approaches 
 the manger, its height should be increased, and that of the 
 rails diminished, so as to prevent the horses watching each 
 other while they are feeding. When one horse can over- 
 l£)ok another, while they are both feeding, it is very apt 
 to cause them to swallow their food without properly mas- 
 ticating it, either from the hope of participating in their 
 neighbor's share, or the fear of losing some portion of their 
 own. 
 
 The question of space may be fairly left to itself; for, if 
 there be positively none, there ends the matter ; and if it be 
 doubtful, that trite adage, " where there's a will, there's a 
 way," will give the horse the benefit of the doubt. But the 
 real objection, — that which lurks at the bottom of all the 
 others, — is the power a loose box gives to the horse of lying 
 down, and " dirting" himself, after he has been made clean 
 for the day ; this is the insurmountable objection that has 
 hitherto so stoutly withstood the pleadings of humanity for 
 
 • Page 64, fig. 18. 
 
AND HO"W TO KEEP IT SOUND. 89 
 
 the poor horse : and perhaps, while the question rested solely 
 upon that ground, the groom might be in some degree ex- 
 cused for striking the balance between his trouble and the 
 horse's enjoyment in his own favor; but now that the 
 blessing of sound feet is shown to be involved in it, there 
 can be very few grooms, indeed none worthy the name of 
 groom, who would not willingly incur twice as much trouble 
 to secure such a benefit to their horses: and, when horse- 
 masters once become thoroughly alive to the importance of 
 this matter, — when they remember that the natural life cf a 
 horse is from thirty-five to forty years, and that three- 
 fourths of them die or are destroyed under twelve years 
 old — used up, with scarcely a foot to go upon, — I take it 
 they will be very apt to transfer their sympathies from the 
 groom and his trouble to their own pockets and their horse's 
 welfare. 
 
 The apathy which prevails upon this subject, and checks 
 any thing like energetic and well-directed efforts towards 
 amending the treatment of the horse, is attributable to the 
 false notion, which is too commonly entertained, that if a 
 horse performs his work moderately well for five or six 
 years, he has done all that could reasonably have been ex- 
 pected from him ; and therefore, as the phrase goes, " he 
 owes his master nothing." It is quite true that five or six 
 years' labor is an ample return for the treatment received by 
 most horses ; but when they have been the subjects of judi- 
 cious management, double the length of service may fairly 
 be expected from them, — indeed, any thing short of that 
 period should be considered as leaving them their master's 
 debtor. 
 
 A favorite arorument with that numerous class, who are 
 contented to follow in the track of their neighbors, is — that 
 horses have always been kept in stalls : therefore, say they, 
 it cannot hurt them. This is very like the argument about 
 skinning eels. Custom may proclaim them to be used to it ; 
 but each individual experiences the selfsame torture as its 
 predecessor, whether it be the eel deprived of its skin, or the 
 horse of the soundness of its foot. Unluckily, the prog- 
 ress of disease in the horse's foot is, for the most part, so 
 gradual, as to escape the notice of common observers almost 
 entirely, until it is forced upon their attention in the form of 
 palpable lameness, when the real cause is naturally enough 
 overlooked in the desire to fix it upon some recent occur- 
 rence. If the advocates for continuing the use of stalls will 
 
40 THE horse's foot, 
 
 inquire among horse-masters in general, whether they have 
 ever been obliged to part with a horse for lameness, the cause 
 of which they could never distinctly trace ; the answer they 
 will assuredly obtain, coupled with the foregoing observa- 
 tions, I will venture to hope, may lead some of them, at least, 
 to suspect that the time-honored stall may very fairly be 
 charged with a considerable share in the mischief. 
 
 The real fact is, that nothing short of a miracle can save a 
 horse, which is habitually confined day after day to one spot, 
 from most destructive changes in the delicate and' complicated, 
 mechanism of the foot. The greatest amount of care and 
 attention that we can bestow upon the form and fastening of 
 the shoe, will avail him little, if the foot to which it is at- 
 tached be not permitted to move. Frequent and regular 
 motion is absolutely essential to a sound and healthy condition 
 of the horse's foot ; and any expectation of retaining per- 
 fectly sound feet with stalls and rack-chains involves an 
 impossibility, and never will be realized. 
 
 It is sometimes alleged as an objection to loose boxes, that 
 they offer great facilities to gross-feeding horses to eat their 
 beds ; but as this evil naturally suggests its own remedy, I 
 should not have noticed it, except for the purpose of calling 
 attention to a particular form of muzzle that I invented some 
 years ago, and have found to be eiTectual in preventing this 
 evil, (for a very great evil it unquestionably is,) while it 
 secures to the poor beast his free breathing.* 
 
 The two muzzles in common use are extremely inconve- 
 nient and objectionable. A horse soon learns to eat through 
 the open one ; while the closed one, usually called a setting 
 muzzle, is so insufferably hot and suffocating to wear, that it 
 amounts in fact to an instrument of torture. 
 
 Having said thus much about keeping the feet in a sound 
 and healthy condition, it may be well to inquire what precise 
 meaning attaches to the expression " sound feet," as it is met 
 with in common use ; because perhaps there is no word in 
 the English language which, in its true and legitimate signi- 
 fication implies so much, and in its almost universal accepta- 
 tion means so little, as the word sound, when applied to horses' 
 feet. The great latitude extended to the meaning of words 
 in horse-dealing transactions has shorn the one in question 
 of every attribute which gave it value, and has reduced it to 
 a miserable cheat, conveying no other guarantee than that 
 
 • Pages 65, 66, figs. 19 and 20. 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 41 
 
 .••Jie horse is not palpably lame in one foot only ; for if he 
 should chance to be lame in both fore feet, the pain of allow- 
 ing the weight to rest upon either will cause him to pass it as 
 quickly as possible from one to the other, and not only save 
 •nim from condemnation, but most probably gain for him the 
 reputation of being a quick stepper. 
 
 The truth is, that a foot afflicted with inflammation and 
 pain sufficient to deter a horse from bearing a fair share of 
 his weight upon it, cannot be considered to be in a sound 
 condition ; and so long as the disability continues, so long 
 is the foot unsound. The various degrees of ^^ pointings" 
 ranging between the occasional partial withholding of the 
 weight from the heel without advancing the foot — perceptible 
 only to the most practised eye, — and the habitual thrusting 
 out of the whole leg to the front — palpable to every beholder, 
 — are so many indications of pain in the foot ; the intensity 
 of the pain being marked by the degree of pointing : and in 
 spite of the determination to consider them as mere variations 
 of a trick, they are unequivocal symptoms of unsound feet. 
 The horse is far too wise an animal ever to inconvenience 
 fiis whole frame, merely to gratify a particular trick ; and I 
 take it, his reason for pointing will be found, upon investiga- 
 tion, to have much more to do with a desire to relieve him- 
 self from pain than an inclination to indulge a caprice. The 
 act of pointing calls upon him to withdraw half the support 
 from half of the base on which his body stands, and that too 
 at a part where it can least be spared, — where his head and 
 neck overhang it, and tend to throw a great increase of 
 weight very unevenly upon the remaining support ; thus 
 foi'cing him to equalize the pressure as soon as he can, by 
 dividing it between the remaining support and the leg of the 
 opposite side behind. Experience has taught him that this is 
 best effected by adjusting the balance, before the removal of 
 the suffering foot from the ground ; and we accordingly ob- 
 serve him commencing the process by withdrawing the sup- 
 port of the hind leg, and then, having arranged the balance 
 to his mind, he raises the foot intended to be rested, and car- 
 rying it forward, deposites it at such a distance from the base 
 as shall ensure to it perfect exemption from sustaining any 
 of the weight. We can readily imagine that an animal 
 formed to stand upon four legs, would find it an irksome 
 business to support himself for any length of time upon two : 
 and so in practice the horse finds it to be ; for his muscles 
 ■oon become weary of their increased work, and he is driven 
 
 4* 
 
42 THE horse's foot, 
 
 to seek relief from the new pain by a change of position, 
 which again calls forth the old one, — and thus the poor beast 
 is doomed to a perpetual alternation of painful sensations. His 
 courage enables him to bear a great deal of pain without 
 flinching, particularly when it increases upon him in the 
 stealthy manner that usually marks the course of unsound- 
 ness in the feet. There is, however, a point beyond which 
 his endurance cannot be stretched, and the progressive na- 
 ture of unsoundness is sure in the end to find it out ; and 
 although he may contrive, by shortening his step and striking 
 the ground less forcibly with his feet, to put off the discovery, 
 and may continue to work upon very unsound feet even for 
 years, still he is at last compelled to yield. Sinking his 
 head and neck at every step, to remove their weight from 
 the foot at the moment it meets the ground, he declares by 
 signs no longer to be mistaken that he is decidedly lame ; 
 and this, in all probability, is the first intimation which the 
 master receives of any thing being amiss with his horse's 
 foot. He then, in his innocent astonishment, begins recalling 
 to mind the events of the last few days, vainly hoping to find 
 in them the cause of this unlooked-for calamity. 
 
 Few circumstances appear to arouse a horse-master's in- 
 dignation so much as an imputation upon the soundness of 
 his horse's feet ; but surely this extreme sensitiveness is not 
 very philosophical, where the tendency of the whole treat- 
 ment of the animal is to make them unsound. It would be 
 more rational to admit the unsoundness, and adopt measures 
 for removing it, than to deny its existence, and persevere in 
 the treatment that caused it. 
 
 A horse in work with perfectly sound feet is of much rarer 
 occurrence than is generally supposed ; but, fortunately, per- 
 fect soundness of foot is not absolutely essential even to the 
 performance of a vast deal of work, in what is called very 
 good style, as is proved by the feet of a great majority of the 
 horses that perform wonderful tasks to the entire satisfaction 
 of their masters : it is nevertheless a very desirable attribute, 
 and will amply repay any trouble that we may take to ensure 
 it, not only in the extent to which it prolongs the horse's 
 usefulness, but also in the free, willing, and agreeable manner 
 in which his work is done, — carrying conviction on the face 
 of it that it is unaccompanied by pain. 
 
 The influence of regular daily exercise upon the health and 
 well-being of the horse is generally much too lightly es- 
 teemed both by masters and grooms, — who seem for the most 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 49 
 
 part agreed that there is no great harm in a horse remaining 
 in the stable for two or three days in succession without ex. 
 ercise, provided that his legs do not swell ; but I trust that I 
 shall have prepared many of my readers to believe with me, 
 that it is far otherwise than indifferent to him whether he be 
 imprisoned day after day, with the elastic machinery of his 
 foot wasting and decaying from want of use, or be afforded 
 the opportunity of keeping it in vigorous and healthy repair 
 by due employment out of the stable for three or four hours 
 every day. 
 
 It w^ould be almost impossible to overrate the value of 
 daily long-continued walking exercise to the health, condition, 
 soundness of feet, and general usefulness of the horse ; and 
 whoever habitually deprives him of these blessings, merely 
 to save himself a little trouble, inflicts a cruel and lasting 
 injury upon a generous and unoffending animal, and is un- 
 worthy to be intrusted with the care of him. Old horses 
 require less exercise than young ones ; but as the quantity 
 usually allotted to horses of every age falls short of the por- 
 tion necessary for the very oldest, there is little apprehension 
 of any receiving too much. The perfect allowance for horsea 
 in health, of from five to fifteen years of age, would be fou* 
 hours a day — two in the early morning, and two in the after 
 noon: but as it requires an extensive stable establishment 
 »to carry this plan into effect, especially where there are many 
 horses kept, it will be more to our purpose to consider the 
 smallest possible quantify with which we can hope to keep 
 cur horses' feet in a sound and healthy condition. This I 
 should put at two hours a day, — and a pitiful allowance it 
 undoubtedly is in a case where nature has dictated almost 
 constant movement : but so niggardly are horse-masters in 
 general of this most essential requisite, that they will scarcely 
 ever allow their horses more than from half to three-fourths 
 of an hour daily ; — and we find men, who are profuse in the 
 expensive luxuries of excessive feeding, clothing, and pam. 
 pering, turn wonderful economists in the inexpensive necessa- 
 ries of air and exercise. Trotting a horse to and fro upon a 
 hard road for half an hour, just to stretch his limbs and keep 
 them from swelling, is too frequently considered to be fully 
 sufficient exercise for the day : — and I verily believe, if men 
 could ride better, and horses' legs did not swell from long-con- 
 tinued confinement, many horses would never be exercised 
 at all beyond their positive work : — but most men are very 
 sensitive about the slightest appearance of swelling in theii 
 
44 TEE HORSE S FOOT, 
 
 horse's legs ;- — and nature has implanted in most horses such 
 a lively mode of expressing their joy at the change from the 
 close atmosphere of the stable to the freshness of the open air, 
 that a kind of compact seems formed between pride and fear, 
 to extort for the poor beast at least sufficient exercise to keep 
 his legs fine and his exuberant spirits within ridable bounds. 
 
 The only other subject requiring especial notice, is the 
 treatment of the foot in the stable, — the directions for which 
 are few and simple. The horny crust has a great tendency 
 in almost all feet to become dry and brittle, and to lose its 
 elasticit}^, which disposes it to curl inwards upon the internal 
 parts of the foot. This we should endeavor to preverit, as 
 much as possible ; and the best applications for that purpose 
 are grease and moisture : I name them in conjunction, be- 
 cause I think they should always be employed together 
 that is, the use of grease should always precede the applica- 
 tion of moisture. The latter will keep the horn soft and plia- 
 ble during the continuance of its application to the hoof; but 
 it is no sooner discontinued, than evaporation takes place, and 
 the horn becomes as hard and brittle as before : whereas, if 
 the hoof be well rubbed with some greasy mixture, so as to 
 fill the small spaces between the fibres of the horn, before 
 the damp is applied, the hoof will derive the full benefit of 
 the cold, and be left, when the evaporation is over, in a tough 
 and pliable condition. 
 
 The following ointment will be found to answer the purpose 
 admirably, and, if it be freely used to the hoof every nigh< 
 and morning, will keep it in an elastic healthy state. To a 
 pound and a half of lard add a quarter of a pound of tar, a 
 quarter of a pound of honey, and a quarter of a pound of 
 beeswax : melt the lard and beeswax together, and stir in 
 ihe tar and honey, and if, when cold, it should be too hard, 
 remelt it and add a little olive-oiL 
 
 Whenever there is heat in the foot, the use of cold water 
 for two or three hours at a time is often very serviceable, 
 and the best mode of applying it is to olace three or four 
 thicknesses of horse clothing together of nearly the depth of 
 the hoof, and having sewn the top edge^ together, attach a 
 small buckle and strap, and fasten it loosely around the pas- 
 tern joint above the hoof: plunge the foot into a bucket of 
 v/ater, and keep it there until the cloth is thoroughly saturated 
 with wet ; then remove the bucket, and allow the wet cloth 
 to remain on, rewetting it occasionally. This should never 
 be done when the horse's foot is heated from recent exercise, 
 
AND HOW TO XEEP IT SOUND. 41 
 
 as the sudden chill at such a time would most likely bring on 
 fever of the feet. The early morning suggests itself as the 
 fitting time for the employment of this remedy, when the 
 horse is nearly certain of having been at rest for many hours. 
 
 Stopping the feet at night is a very beneficial custom ; and 
 fresh cow-dung is perhaps as good a thing as can be employed 
 for the purpose ; it retains its moisture longer than clay, 
 which is often used, and when dry is less hard to the feet. 
 The space within the shoe, between the sole and the ground, 
 being thus filled with an elastic mass, affords an even support 
 to the whole under-surface of the sole, resembling in some 
 degree v/hat the unshod foot receives from soft ground ; and 
 I believe the foot derives as much benefit from this slight, 
 but even support, while the horse is at rest, as it does from 
 the softening effect of the moisture upon the horn. The feai 
 of causing thrushes by the frequent use of wet stopping is 
 very much exaggerated ; for where the disease is produced 
 by moisture once, it is produced by bad shoeing a thousand 
 times : indeed, it is one of the commonest effects of the re- 
 straint to the foot of bad shoeing, and never occurs, under 
 any circumstances, where the foot is left free to expand by 
 good shoeing. The surest and never-failing cure for thrushes, 
 is " one-sided nailing," — in other words, permitting the fool 
 to expand. I have cured two bad cases of thrushes of long 
 duration, by making the horses stand for four months upon 
 wet sawdust without shoes. The sawdust was not merely 
 damp, but saturated with water ; — and the horses remained 
 upon it all day, but were removed at night into a dry place 
 to sleep. Neither the long-continued application of exces- 
 sive moisture nor the gloomy predictions of friends could 
 prevent the thrushes from getting well, when the foot was 
 thus permitted to expand freely to the weight of the horse. 
 
 I may observe here, that this kind of treatment is far pre- 
 ferable to turning horses out either to grass or straw-yard, 
 and should always be substituted for it, whenever from any 
 cause they may require rest. 
 
 Of course the continued use of wet sawdust will only bo 
 needed where the feet are much amiss ; but I believe that 
 every horse which is laid up with a view of obtaining perfect 
 rest for him, will be benefited by standing without shoes 
 upon it for two or three hours out of every twenty-four ; — un- 
 less, indeed, he should happen to have weak flat feet ; in which 
 case 1 would shoe him with leather. The soles of such feet 
 being, for the most part, already too thin, would be rendered 
 
46 THE horse's foot, 
 
 less able to resist the weight from above by the softening effect 
 of immediate contact with so much moisture ; I would not, 
 however, on that account deprive the remainder of the foot 
 of the benefit to be derived from it. 
 
 The advantages of a loose place over turning out are too 
 numerous to be enlarged upon in a work of this kind ; 1 may, 
 however, mention a few of the most prominent ; the chief of 
 which, as regards our object of obtaining entire rest, is the in- 
 surmountable obstacle thus placed in the way of the violent 
 galloping, which horses, from various causes, are apt to in- 
 dulge in when at grass : it also prevents the incessant stamp- 
 ing consequent upon the insufferable teasing of flies ; and it 
 offers the further advantage of enabling us to regulate the 
 food, both as to quantity and quality, — a matter deserving 
 much more consideration than is usually bestowed upon it. 
 
 In conclusion, I will beg to offer a few remarks upon the 
 false estimate usually made of the value of a warranty. A 
 general warranty, as regards the soundness of the horse, is 
 valueless ; for, if he be unsound, it cannot make him other- 
 wise. Its only worth, therefore, when stripped of its sup- 
 posed mysterious, charm-like influence over his state, con- 
 sists in the authority with which it invests the buyer to pro- 
 ceed against the seller in a court of law, qualifying him to 
 expend many times the amount of the purchase-money, to 
 prove that he has been either wilfully or ignorantly deceived. 
 Now, instead of placing implicit confidence in such an in- 
 strument as this, or resting satisfied under its protection, it 
 would be much wiser, upon making a fresh purchase, in ad- 
 dition to the warranty, to have the horse examined by a vete- 
 rinary surgeon, who will at once detect any 'palpable defects 
 that may present themselves ; and then, being armed with 
 the general warranty on the one hand, and the veterinary 
 surgeon's certificate on the other, to set steadily and perse- 
 veringly to work, by good shoeing, a loose box, and plenty of 
 exercise, to endeavor to make him sound. 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 
 
 47 
 
 
 FIGURES I. AND II. 
 
 Figs. 1 and 2 represent the left or near fore foot of a pony 
 five years old, which was destroyed in consequence of an ac- 
 cident. It had been but a few times shod, and is a very good 
 example of what may be called a perfect foot. — I have care- 
 fully preserved the relative position of the various parts to 
 each other. 
 
 Fig. 1. 
 
 Tig. 1 — Shows the ground surface of the hoof prepared for receiving a 
 shoe ; and marks very distinctly the difference between the curvature 
 of the outer and inner quarters. 
 
 o The toe — ^rasped away to receive the tumed-up shoe. 
 
 a 1. The inner toe. 
 
 a 2. Tlie outer toe. 
 
 b 1. The inner quarter. 
 
 h 2. The outer quarter. 
 
 c 1. The inner heel. 
 
 c 2. The outer heel. 
 
 d d d. The sole. 
 
 c e. The crust or wall of the hoot 
 
 //. The bars. 
 
 g g. The commissures. 
 
 hkl The frog. 
 
 h. The part immediately under the navicular joint* 
 
 k. The oval cleft of the frogr. 
 
 I. The elevated boundary of the cleft. 
 
 t i. The bulbs of the heels. 
 
 \ 
 
46 
 
 THE HORSE S FOOT, 
 
 Fig 2. 
 
 Fig. 2 — Shows the outer side of the same foot with a shoe attached : — It 
 also partially shows the interior of the hoof, which is more fully repre- 
 sented in Figs. 21, 22, and 23. 
 
 a. The toe of the shoe turned up out of the line of wear. 
 
 h h. The shoe repiesented of the same thickness from toe to heel. 
 
 c. The clinches. 
 
 d. The hollow for receiving the coronary substance, which secret«i 
 
 the horn. 
 «u The Uiin hofsy plates that line the wall of the Yktxtt 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 
 
 49 
 
 FIGURES III., IV., v.. AND VI. 
 
 Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, represent the detached bones of the 
 foot, and also a section of the foot, exhibiting at one view 
 the relative position of all its parts in the way of a map : 
 the f('rmer I drew from the bones of the foot represented in 
 Figs. 1 and 2, — and the latter from the foot of a young 
 thorough-bred horse, rising four years old, in which shoeing 
 and stabling had not had time to produce any material 
 
 nhanges. 
 
 Fig. 3. 
 
 a. 
 b. 
 
 g. 3. — The coronet bone. 
 
 The under surface, which forms part of the coffin joint. 
 The upper surface, which forms part of the pastern joint. 
 c. Roughened surfaces for the insertion of muscles. 
 
 Fig. 4. 
 
 fig. 4. — The coffin bone. 
 
 a. The toe ; — showing its elevation from the ground line of th» 
 sides of the bone, as also its notched appearance. 
 
 h b. The wings. 
 
 c c. Holes for the passage of the arteries, which supply the sensi- 
 ble covering of the bone and the bone itself with blood. 
 
 d d. Surfaces, which form part of the coffin joint. 
 
 e. The body of the bone much roughened for the attachment of 
 the sensible laminae, and thickly studded with holes for thd 
 passage of blood-vessels. 
 
 5 
 
60 
 
 THE HORSE S FOOT, 
 
 Fig. 5. 
 
 Fig. 5. — Two views of the navicular bone. 
 
 a. The under surface. 
 
 1. The surface which forms — with the tendon passing under t— • 
 
 the navicular joint. 
 
 2. A roughened surface for the insertion of a tendon. 
 h. The upper surface. • 
 
 1. The surface by which the navicular bone is joined to the 
 coffin boue. 
 
 2 2. The surface which forms part of the coffin joint. 
 
 3 A deeply roughened surface for the attachment of the strong 
 
 ligament that binds the navicular to the coffin bone. 
 
 Fig. 6 
 
 Fig 6. — A section of the foot 
 
 1. The coronet bone. a. The wall. 
 
 2. The coffin bone. b. The sole. 
 
 3. The navicular boue. c. The cleft of the frog. 
 d d. The frog. 
 
 e e. The fatty frog or elastic cushion. 
 
 /. The sensitive sole. 
 
 g. The sensitive frog. 
 
 hhh. Tendons of the muscles which bend the foot. 
 
 t. Part of the pastern bone. 
 
 k k. Tendons of the muscles which extend the foot. 
 
 I. The coffin joint. 
 
 fn. The navicular joint. 
 
 ru The coronary substance. 
 
 0. The seasible lamisis, or covering of the coffin bone> 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 
 
 51 
 
 FIGURES VII. AND VIII. 
 
 Figs. 7 and 8 represent the upper and under surfaces of a 
 near fore shoe : I have drawn them after the manner of a 
 plan, fearing that a perspective representation of thickness 
 might possibly mislead. 
 
 Fig. 7. 
 
 
 '^m ^F=2 
 
 Fig' 7 — Shows the upper or foot surface. 
 
 a. 
 
 The clip at the toe- 
 
 a. 1. 
 
 The outer toe. 
 
 a. 2. 
 
 The inner toe. 
 
 b. 1. 
 
 The outer quarter. 
 
 i. 2. 
 
 The inner quarter. 
 
 c. 1. 
 
 The outer heel. 
 
 e. 2. 
 
 The inner heel. 
 
 d d. 
 
 The seating. 
 
 e e. 
 
 The even surface for the crust to bear upon 
 
 ' s 
 
 The nail-holes. 
 
b% 
 
 THB HORSE S FOOT, 
 
 Fig. 8. 
 
 Fig 8 — Shows the under or ground surface. 
 
 a. The toe turned up out of the line of weijf, 
 
 a 1. 
 
 The outer toe. 
 
 a 2. 
 
 The inner toe. 
 
 b 1. 
 
 The outer quarter. 
 
 b 2. 
 
 The inner quarter 
 
 c 1. 
 
 The outer heel. 
 
 c 2. 
 
 The inner heel. 
 
 d d. 
 
 The web. 
 
 e e 
 
 The fullering. 
 
 Si 
 
 The naiUhol^ 
 
4lND how to keep it sound. 
 
 53 
 
 FIGURES IX. AND XL 
 
 Figs. 9 and 10 represent a near fore foot, shod on the ob- 
 jectionable plan of having the shoe " well set off at the 
 lieeis," 
 
 Fig. 9. 
 
 Fig. 9 — Shows this mode of shoeing, as it is usually practised ; — with the 
 web at the heels only about half as wide as at the toe ; the heels so far 
 separated, as to deprive the important parts lying between them of all 
 protection ; and the shoe held on by seven nails, placed principally in tha 
 quarters. 
 
 5* 
 
64 
 
 THE horse's foot, 
 
 Vis. 10. 
 
 Fig. 10 — Represents the sarae foot with the shoe rendered transparent,— 
 showing the very small and unimportant portion that receives protec- 
 tion, compared with the large and important portion which is left ex- 
 posed to all kinds of injury. 
 
 a a a. The crust seen through the shoe. 
 b b. The bars completely exposed. 
 
 c c The outer edge of the crust, bearing upon the inner edge of 
 the shoe. 
 d. The situation of corns entirely unprotected. 
 
 It will be observed that the heels of the shoe afford neither 
 support nor protection to any part of the foot ; and that, if 
 the inner side from just above where the asterisk or star 
 is placed, back to the heel, be left thus projecting, the horse 
 will be very apt, in passing over rough ground, to place 
 the other foot upon the projection, and tear off the shoe. — 
 The edge of the shoe should everywhere correspond to the 
 edge of the crust. 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 
 
 6S 
 
 FIGURES XI. AND XII. 
 
 Figs. 11 and 12 represent the same foot as Figs. 9 and 10, 
 but shod upon a plan which interferes less with the natural 
 action of the various parts of the foot, than any other that 
 has ever been suggested, and therefore most strenuously to 
 be recommended. 
 
 Fig. 11. 
 
 Fig. 11 — Shows a shoe so applied: the web at the heels is as wide as at 
 the toe : — the heels are brought in, so as just to clear the frog, and de- 
 fend the foot, as much as possible, against injury: — the toe is turned up 
 out of the line of wear : — the fullering is carried back to the heels, and 
 the nails placed four in the outer, and two in the inner side of the shoe. 
 — I carry the system a little further with my own horses ; and omit the 
 ■ocond nail on the inner side, — employLig only five altogether. 
 
60 
 
 THE HORSE S FOOT, 
 
 Fig. 12. 
 
 Fig. 12 — Represents the same foot with the shoe rendered transparent 
 showing what parts of the foot are covered and protected by bfing < 
 ing in the heels of the shoe 
 
 a a a. The crust, with the shoe closely fitted all round. 
 
 b b. The bars, protected by the shoe. 
 
 c c. The heels, supported by the shoe. 
 
 d. The situation of corns protected from injury. 
 
 If we compare Fig. 12 with Fig. 10 we shall be struck 
 with the disproportion in the utility of the two shoes, as de- 
 ences for the horse's foot. 
 
 In the one just described every atom of the shoe is made 
 available for support or protection ; while in the other a very 
 considerable portion is not only utterly wasted, by being 
 thrust out beyond the hoof, but is actually converted into a 
 source of evil, — receiving on the inner side the occasional 
 tread of the other foot, — on the outer, that of another horse, — 
 and on both, resistance to the withdrawal of the foot out of 
 stiff ground, thereby risking the shoe being dragged off; for 
 when the shoe projects beyond the crust it makes an opening 
 larger than the foot can fill, and the clay curling over the 
 ledges which are formed by the projecting portions of the 
 shoe, offers a resistance to its return exactly proportioned to 
 the depth to which it may have sunk into the ground : but 
 where the shoe has been accurately fitted, the weight of the 
 horse expanding the foot while it is still in the ground en 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 57 
 
 larges the hole, and make a free passage for the return of the 
 shoe. 
 
 Again — on comparing the parts marked h. c. d. in both 
 feet with each other, we shall find them in one, defenceless 
 and exposed ; while in the other they are securely sheltered 
 by a bar of iron, — which bar of iron, by its near approach 
 to its neighbor, often saves the foot from alighting upon a 
 stone with a violence that would thrill through horse and 
 rider. 
 
58 
 
 THE HORSE S FOOT, 
 
 FIGURES XIII. AND XIV. 
 
 Figs. 13 and 14 represent two near fore shoes, removea 
 from the same horse at different times : — the first, which la 
 full of defects, was replaced by the second, which is entirely 
 free from them. 
 
 Fig. 13. 
 
 Pig. 13 — Is the portrait of as faulty a shoe as could be met with, — whose 
 glaring defects we will endeavor to turn to a useful account by con- 
 Bidering them first in detai"], and then in comparison with Fig. 14, 
 where they have been corrected. 
 
 a 0. The heels, — showing that the shoe becomes thicker and 
 thicker, as it proceeds backwards, until it forms a perfect 
 wedge, the base of which is fully double the thickness of 
 any other part of the shoe. 
 
 h h. Show the marks of the crust, bearing upon the shoe ; and 
 prove, by the absence of a defined termination, that the shoe 
 was too short for the foot, and had not reached to the heels 
 of the hoof. 
 
 c C. The seating, — discontinued just where its presence was most 
 required, and a mass of iron left to project into the angles at 
 the heels, where pressure should be particularly avoided, aa 
 conducing to corns. 
 
 d. Four of the nail-holes, punched entirely in the seating, in- 
 
 stead of in the flat surface around the shoe. 
 
 e. The last nail-hole on the inner side, placed so far back in tht 
 
 quarter as to prevent the possibility of the foot expanding. 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 
 
 5G 
 
 Fi2. 14. 
 
 a 
 b 
 
 a. 
 h. 
 
 $ c. 
 
 Fig \4 — Is the portrait of the shoe which replaced Fig. 13. 
 
 The heels of an even thickness with the rest of the shoe 
 Show the poiats at which the heels of the hoof terminated : 
 
 they are however better shown in Figs. 15 and 16. 
 The seating carried back, so as to clear the angles at tha 
 
 heels, and leave the seat of corns free from pressure. 
 d. The nail-holes placed in the flat surface which supports th« 
 
 crust, where they should always be. 
 «. The hindermost nail of the inner side at the inner toe, 
 
 whereby the whole of the quarter and heel are lefi free ta 
 
 e]q»and. 
 
60 THE horse's FOOT; 
 
 FIGURES XV. AND XVL 
 
 I consider myself particularly fortunate in having obtained 
 the shoe from which Fig. 15 in this and Fig. 13 in page 58 
 have been drawn ; seeing that it presents an illustration of 
 nearly every defect a shoe could possess, without one redeem- 
 ing quality to reconimend it. I have been tempted to add 
 another view of it, because it enables me to show some of 
 these defects to greater advantage than I could contrive to do 
 in Figs. 13 and 14. 
 
 Fig. 15. 
 
 Fig. 15— -a. The thick wedge-shaped objectionable heel. 
 
 b. The mark made by the bearing of the crust, showing thai 
 
 the shoe had not extended far enough back to support 
 the heel. 
 
 c. The termination of the seating, and commencement of tlie 
 
 mischievous projection of iron. 
 
 d. The nail-holes punched in the seating, where they ought not 
 
 to be. 
 «. The flat surface, whereon the crust ought to have had an 
 even bearing all round the shoe, and in which the nail- 
 holes should have been punched : we shall, however, find, 
 upon comparing this surface with the width of the marks 
 of the crust at b, that it is everywhere narrower than the 
 crust to be supported by it ; so that the whole weight of 
 the horse must have been sustained by the outer half OQly 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 61 
 
 of the crust ; the inconvenience of which would be greatly 
 aggravated by the four holes of the outer side being placed 
 in the seating, causing a considerable strain upon the nails, 
 whenever the weight was thrown upon the outside of the 
 foot, as it would be in turning to the left. 
 J /. The seating, everywhere overdone, excepting at the heels, 
 where it was most wanted ; and there it is discontinued 
 altogether. When a shoe is too much hollowed by seating, 
 it defeats its own object by leaving space enough for a body 
 of dirt, or even small stones, to work in and become im- 
 bedded between the foot and the shoe, resisting the descent 
 of the sole as effectually as an unseated shoe would do. 
 Sufficient space to admit the point of a picker to pass 
 freely all around between the shoe and the foot, is all that 
 is necessary. 
 
 The web of the shoe, it will be observed, is just twice as 
 wide at the toe, where the cover might well have been spared, 
 as it is at the heels, where protection was most desirable. 
 
 Fig. 16. 
 
 fig. 16 — a. The heel of an even tliickness with the rest of the shoe. 
 
 h. The mark of the crust with the termination well defined, 
 
 showing that the heel had been supported. 
 c. The seating carried through to the heel. 
 
 ff. The seating less hollowed than in Fig. 15, and the web ol 
 equal width at the toe and heel. 
 
 The shoe Fig. 15, I found on the foot of a horse which I 
 purchased for a friend about two years ago ; and it is worthy 
 of remark, that it was placed there by a smith who enjoys, 
 
 6 
 
62 THE HORSE S FOOT, 
 
 in a very extensive district, the reputation of being a particu- 
 larly good shoer. If gentlemen could only be persuaded to 
 inform themselves sufficiently to give their directions with 
 the confidence that a knowledge of the subject is sure to en- 
 gender, and to know, when the work is finished, whether those 
 directions have been complied with, ♦hey would drive such 
 men as these from their lamentable ignorance of the first 
 principles of their art into something like a rational view of 
 the subject : but where gentlemen are contented to remain 
 without knowledge, smiths may be excused for not informing 
 themselves. 
 
/»ND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 
 
 FIGURES XVII. AND XVIII. 
 
 Figs. 17 and 18 represent the plan upon which I have 
 lately converted a four-stalled stable into three loose boxes ; 
 ana show that the space gained for the use and ccnifort of 
 the horses is considerably more than doubled. 
 
 Fig. 17. 
 
 .JSFt^lTL. 
 6 
 
 
 — SFl 8fn. S 
 
 !J 
 
 J — tjFisnu - 
 
 .sn din. 
 
 i 
 
 J't 
 
 Fig ? t-^hows the space as origiaall^ *«id out for a foor-stalled stable 
 
 a. The manger in each Btai?'. 
 
 h The stalls. 
 
 c. The heel-posts. 
 
 d. Part of the saddlG-ionra. 
 
 e. The door-way from the saddle-room to the stabla 
 /. The door opctting towards the stable. 
 
 g. The entrHRce to the stable. 
 
 h. TW stable door opening from right to left 
 
64 
 
 THE HORSE S FOOT, 
 Fig. 18. 
 
 a 
 
 ,....7Ft 8M,,.... ZFt 8In. 
 
 a 
 
 S; 
 
 g 
 
 n 
 
 .7Ft6I?i^. 
 
 
 |5 
 
 -I- 
 
 £Fe.^ 
 
 & 
 
 y 
 
 d 
 
 T 
 
 Fig. 18 — Shows the same space turned to the best account for the horses. 
 
 a. The manger undisturbed. 
 
 h. The boxes. 
 
 c 1. The original partitions and heel-posts of the stalls shifted bodily. 
 
 c 2. The additional heel-posts : the upper part of the partition ex- 
 tending from c. 1, to c. 2 in each box, is composed of iron 
 railing, which enables the horses to see each other. 
 
 d. Part of the saddle-room. 
 
 e. The position of the door-way changed, so as to prevent the losa 
 
 of space occasioned by the door opening towards the stable. 
 
 /. The door opening back into the saddle-room, where it is out of 
 the way. 
 
 g. The entrance to the stable. 
 
 A. The stable door hung to the opposite post, by which arrange- 
 ment whenever it is opened it is made to close the entrance 
 to the saddle-room, and prevent the possibility of the horses 
 passing into it instead of the boxes. 
 
 t. The door of the box, opening inwards so as to place it out of 
 the way. 
 
 k ^\, The doors of the other two boxes, opening outwards so as 
 k) meet, and enclose a space behind them. 
 
 m. The space so enclosed, receiving two buckets, a shovel, broom, 
 dung-fork, and basket. 
 
 n. The two buckets, and above them a seat, which acts as a 
 shelf to deposite any thing upon. 
 
 By this disposition of the space the horses receive the full 
 benefit of every available atom of it, and instead of there 
 being a waste of 23 feet 8 inches by 9 feet 5 inches, there is 
 positively none at all ; for the 8 feet by 5 feet 3 inches, un- 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 
 
 65 
 
 appropriated to the use of the horses, is not more than is 
 required for a free passage into the boxes, and the reception 
 of the necessary stable implements. The doors which in Fig. 
 17 entail a waste of half a large circle of space in the open- 
 «ig and shutting, are so arranged as only to traverse the space 
 necessary for the passage ; and when open, to form sides to it, 
 and become useful in directing the horses in and out of their 
 respective boxes. 
 
 FIGURES XIX. AND XX. 
 
 Figs. 19 and 20 represent the muzzle mentioned at page 40. 
 
 Fig. 19. 
 
 Fig i^-*— Shows it in its position upon the horse's head. 
 
 a X Mark the width of the opening — which should be determined 
 by the distance from the nose to the jaw-bone, at about two 
 or three inches above the angle of the mouth. It is not 
 necessary that the head should go deeper into it than this, 
 but it is essential that the bottom of the muzzle should 
 hang fully three inches below the lips, as shown at c, be- 
 cause the horse is thus obliged fairly to deposite the muzzia 
 before 'le can be able to reach the bottom of it with hia 
 lips ; in doing which, the weight of the muzzle, and tha 
 
 6* 
 
66 
 
 THE HORSE S FOOT, 
 
 pressure thus made upon it, will effectually flatten the 
 straw out of his reach, and by disappointing his hopes, 
 soon cause him to discontinue his fruitless efforts. But if 
 the bottom of the muzzle be brought tight up against the 
 lips, the head and the muzzle will act together, and the 
 horse will eat just as much of his bed as he pleases. Its 
 whole utility depends upon the horse's nose being so free of 
 the muzzle, that he shall not be able to reach any part of it 
 with his lips, without putting it down, when he instantly 
 defeats his object. 
 
 g ~ I 
 Fig 20 — Shows the detail of the muzzle. 
 
 a a. The upper rim, made of iron. 
 b b. The lower rim, made of iron. 
 eccc. Four iron uprights connecting the upper and lower rims, and 
 riveted to them. 
 
 d. An iron stay running across the bottom from front to rear. 
 
 e. A cross-piece of iron riveted at the centre at d : the arms 
 
 curving upwards are each riveted to one of the uprights, c, 
 by which much additional strength is obtained, and the 
 difficulty of feeding through the open spaces greatly in- 
 creased. 
 /. Shows one of the long wires coming through the upper rim, 
 whence it passes straight down to g, through the lower rim, 
 across the bottom to h, where it again passes through the 
 lower rim on the opposite side, and is carried up to th« 
 upper rim ; and is riveted through it at i. It is tied to the 
 centre band of wire where it crosses it on either side. 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP '.T SOUND. 61 
 
 This description applies to each of the long wires, as does 
 the followino: to the short ones. 
 
 k. Shows one of the short wires commencing with a turn round 
 the centre band of wire, and descending to the lower rim, 
 through which it passes to be riveted on the inner side. 
 
 m. Portions of the head-stall, with the mode of fastening them to 
 the muzzle. 
 
 nn. A pad to protect the horse's nose from the rim of the muzzle. 
 It should be hollowed in the centre so as to prevent the 
 weight resting entirely upon the bone. 
 
 It has been suggested to me that a similar pad at the back p&rt, 
 to protect the jaw-bone, would be an improvement. 
 
 The frame-work should be formed of flat iron, three- 
 eighths of an inch wide, and one-sixteenth of an inch thick ; 
 and the wire — ^tinned iron of the size known as No. 11. 
 
68 
 
 ?^ 
 
 THE HORSE S FOOT, 
 
 FIGURES XXL, XXII., AND XXIII. 
 
 Fig. 21. 
 
 Fig. 22. 
 
 Fijr. 23. 
 
AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND. 69 
 
 Figs. 21, 22, and 23. — I have been induced to add these 
 figures in consequence of meeting with the foot represented 
 in Fig. 21. It presents such an admirable illustration of 
 the effect of shoeing and stabling upon the frog and elastic 
 cushion, that I could not resist the impulse to draw it and 
 pla^e it by the side of the young foot, already represented by 
 Fig. 6 ; and having done so, I was further led to add a sketch 
 of the interior of the hoof, in the hope that bringing the three 
 figures under notice at one view, might enable me to point 
 out more clearly what changes have taken place, and how 
 they have been brought about. Upon a careful comparison 
 of Fig. 21 with Fig. 22, we shall be struck among other 
 things with the great difference observable in the bulk of the 
 elastic cushion or fatty frog in the two feet — both in the heel 
 at Z», and in the portion immediately between the navicular 
 joint and the horny frog at e. I found, however, a difference 
 in the quality or texture of this part in the two feet of far 
 greater importance than any diminution of quantity, — for 
 while Fig. 22 presented a substance resembling throughout 
 its whole extent a mixture of fat and tendon, and yielded to 
 pressure from the point of a knife without being pierced by it 
 — that is, sunk away before it — the corresponding part in 
 Fig. 21, was of a close unyielding texture, offering the resist- 
 ance of firm gristle, and, instead of sinking away from the 
 point of the knife, resisted it with a grating sound : indeed 
 I could perceive no difference between the sound produced 
 by passing the point of the knife over this substance and over 
 the horny frog. I have attempted to mark where the change 
 of structure commences by a variation in the touch upon the 
 figure, by which it will be seen that the texture of the sub- 
 stance at h is pretty much the same in each foot, notwith- 
 standing the great disproportion between their respective 
 quantities. In Fig. 21, where it has suffered under bad treat- 
 ment, and is wasted and dwindled to almost nothing, it soon 
 assumes a close firm texture as it descends from h towards e 
 — until (all its soft parts having been absorbed) it terminates 
 in the hard mass marked in the figure by checkered lines. 
 
 If we now turn to Fig. 23, and with its assistance contem- 
 plate this part in its situation in the hoof, we shall obtain a 
 clear idea of the relation it bears to the other parts of the foot 
 in general, and the navicular joint in particular. 
 
 a. Is a broad flat mass of horn, projecting upwards into the middle 
 
 of the elastic cushion, and is called the " frog stay." 
 b h. Are two horny projections rising into the cavity of the hoof 
 
7D THB horse's foot, etc. 
 
 formed by the commissures. — They each, at b, support the 
 part marked b in Figs. 21 and 22. 
 e c. Are portions of the same projections, and are situated just under 
 the two ends of the navicular bone, and mark the point on 
 either side where diminution in the natural elasticity of the 
 fatty frog would be felt with the greatest severity by the na- 
 vicular joint : for under the most favorable circumstances, the 
 quantity of cushion between these points and the navicular joint 
 cannot be very large ; and hence the importance of our doing 
 all we can to preserve its elasticity as long as possible. 
 
 Figs. 21 and 22, being sections of the foot, are calculated 
 to impart a false idea of the extent of protection afforded to 
 the navicular joint by the elastic cushion, if they are not 
 considered in conjunction with Fig. 23 ; for the cushion, being 
 cut through at the part occupying the hollow between c c. 
 and dy which is its deepest part, would lead to the conclusion 
 that the same quantity of protection was extended to the whole 
 of the joint, if we did not observe that the projections of the 
 commissures c c, Fig. 23, lie nearly on a level with the top 
 of the frog stay, a, showing that there is not space for an 
 equal quantity of cushion between them and the navicular 
 joint, as there is between the navicular joint and the bottom 
 of the hollow at d ; — and it is evident, that if the cushion at 
 these places be not kept in a sufficiently elastic condition to 
 guard the delicate membranes of this important joint from 
 the consequences of being compressed between the navicular 
 bone and these horny projections, injury to the joint must 
 ensue, and unsoundness of the foot become inevitable. 
 
 Having seen the changes that have occurred to the fatty 
 frog of Fig. 21, we shall naturally be led to inquire if the sen- 
 sitive frog has fared any better ; to which end we must first 
 examine it in Fig. 22, where we shall find it distinctly mark- 
 ed at g, and by tracing it over the frog stay, a, we shall see 
 that it extends over the whole surface of the horny frog, be- 
 tween it and the fatty frog : but we shall in vain look for it in 
 Fig. 21 ; the constantly increasing compression it has received, 
 between the gradually hardening cushion, and the horny frog, 
 has by degrees so effectually caused its absorption, that not a 
 vestige of it remains — as is shown by g^ Fig. 21. 
 
 The diminution that has taken place in the horny frog of 
 Fig. 21 will be made sufficiently evident by a comparison 
 of the parts marked d andy', with the same parts in Fig. 22. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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 AViTH Practical Notes on Country Residences, Villas, Public 
 
 Parks and Gardens. By Charles IT. J. Smith, Landscape Gardener and Garden 
 Architect, &c. With Notes and Additions by Lewis F. Allen, autlior of " Kural 
 Architecture." 
 
 XHE COTTON PLANTEE'S MANUAL, .... 1 00 
 
 Bring a Compilation of Facts from the Best Authorities on 
 the Culture of Cotton, its Natural History, Chemical Analysis, Trade and Consumption, 
 and embracing a History of Cotton and tie Cotton Gia. By J. A. Tcuxer. 
 
 tJOBBETT'S AMEEICAN GAEDENER, .... 50 
 
 A Treatise on the Situation, Soil, and Layino-out of Gardens, 
 and the making and managing ot Hot-Beds and Green-Houses, and on the Propagation 
 and Cultivation of the several sorts of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits and Flowers. 
 
 ALLEN (J. FISK) ON THE CULTUEE OF THE GRAPE, - 1 00 
 
 A Practical Treatise on the Culture and Treatment of the 
 
 Grape Vine, embracing its History, with Directions for its Treatment in the Uiiited 
 States ol America, in the Open Air and under Glass Structures, with and without 
 Artificial Heat. By J. Fisk Allen . 
 
 ALLEN'S (R. L ) DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS, - T5 
 
 Beino A History and Description of tite Horse. I\ruT.E, Catti,e, 
 
 Sheep, Swine, Poultry, and Farm Dogs, with Directions for their Manairement, Breed- 
 ing. Crossing, Rearing, Feeding, and Preparation for a Profitable Market ; also, their 
 Diseases and Eeinedies. together with full Directions for the Management of the Dairy, 
 and the comparative Economy and Advantages of v. orking Animals, the Horse, Mule, 
 Oxen, &c. By K. L. Allen. 
 
 ALLEN'S (R. L.) AMERICAN FARM BOOK, - - - 1 00 
 
 The American Farm Book ; or, a Compend of American ApTiciiI- 
 
 ture, being a Practical Treatise on Soils, Manures, Draining, Irrigation, Grasses. Grain, 
 Eoots, Fruits, Cotton, Tobacco, Sugar Cane, Rice, and every Staple I'roduct of the 
 United States; with the Best Methods of Planting, Cultivating and Preparation for 
 Market. Hlustrated with more than 100 -engravings. By R#L. Ai.les. 
 
 ALLEN'S (L. F.) RURAL ARCHITECTURE ; - - - 1 25 
 
 Being a Complete Description of Farm Houses, Cottages, and 
 
 Out Buildings, comprising "Wood Houses, Workshops. Tool Houses, Carriage and 
 Wagon Houses, Stables, Smoke ^nd Ash Houses, Ice Houses. Apiaries or Bee Houses, 
 poultry Houses, Babbitry, Dovecote, Piggery. Barns, and SbeJs for Cattle, i^-o., c^cc, 
 together with Lawns, Pleasure Grounds, and Parks ; the Flower, Fruit, and Vege- 
 table Garden; also useffil and ornamental domestic Animals for the Country Resident, 
 ttc, &c Also, the best method of conducting water into Cattle Yards and Houses. 
 Beautifully illustrated. 
 
 TARING'S ELEMENTS OF AGRICULTURE; ... 75 
 
 A Book foii Young Farmees, with QuESTiONS for the use ow 
 
 Schools. 
 
Boolts Fabli'ihed by A. 0. Moore. 
 
 PAKDEE (S. G.) ON STRAV/BEHRY CULTURE ; - - SO 60 
 
 A Complete Manual for the Cultivation of the Strawberry , 
 with a description of the best varieties. 
 
 Also, notfces of the liaspberry, Blackberry, Currant, Goosebe ly, and Grape ; with 
 directions for theii cultivation, and the selection of the best varieties. " Every process 
 here recommended has been proved, the plans of others tried, and the result is hers 
 given." "With a valuable appendix, containing the observations and experienc ol 
 some of the most successful cultivators of these fruits in our country. 
 
 GUENON ON MILCH COWS ; 60 
 
 A Treatise on Milch Cows, wliereby the Quality and Quantity of 
 Milk which any Cow will give may be accurately determined by observing Natnra' 
 Marks or External Indications alone; the length of time she will continue to give 
 Milk, «&c., &c. ByM. Francis Guenon, of Libourne, France, Translated by Kiciu)- 
 I.A8 P. Teist, Esq. ; with Inti oduction, Remarks, and Observations on the Cow aad 
 the Dairy, by JofiN S. Skinner. Illustrated with numerous engravings. Neatly 
 done up in paper covers, 37 cts. 
 
 AMERICAN POULTRY YARD ; 100 
 
 Comprising the Origin, History and Description of tlie different 
 Breeds of Domestic Poultry, with complete directions for their Breeding, Crossing, 
 Rearing, Fattening, and Preparation for Market ; including specific directions for 
 Caponizing Fowls, and for the Treatment of the Principal Diseases to which they are 
 subject, dLrawn from authentic sources and personal observation. Illustrated wiih 
 numerous engravings. By D. J. Bkowne. 
 
 BROWNE'S (D. JAY) FIELD BOOK OF MANURES ; - - 1 25 
 
 Or, American Muck Book ; Treating of the Nature, Properties, 
 Sources, History, and Operations of all the Principal Fertilizers and Manures in Coni- 
 mon Use, with specific directions for their Preservation, and Application to the Soil 
 and to Crops ; drawn from authentic sources, actual experience, and personal observa- 
 tion, as combined with the Leading Principles of Practical and Scientific Agriculture- 
 By D. Jay Beowne. 
 
 RANDALL'S (H. S.) SHEEP HUSBANDRY; - - - 125 
 
 With an Account of the Different Breeds, and ,e:eneral direc- 
 tions in regard to Summer and Winter Management, Breeding, and the Treatment of 
 Diseases, with Portraits and other Engravings. By Heney S. Randall. 
 
 THE SHEPHERD'S OWN BOOK ; • - - - - 2 00 
 
 With an Account of the Different Breeds, Diseases and Man- 
 
 agement of Sheep, and General Directions in regard to Summer and Winter Man- 
 agement, Breeding, and the Treatment of Diseases; with Illustrative Engravngs, by 
 YovATT & Randall ; embracing Skinner's Notes on the Breed and Management of 
 bhoep in the United • tates, and on the Culture of Fine Wool. 
 
 YOUATT ON SHEEP , 75 
 
 Their Breed, Management and Diseases, with Illustrative En- 
 gravings; to which are added Remarks on the Breeds and Management of Sheep in 
 the United States, and on the Culture of Fine Wool in Silesia. By William Youatt. 
 
 YOUATT AND MARTIN ON CATTLE ; - - - . 1 25 
 
 Being a Treatise on their Breeds, Management, and Diseases, 
 comprising a full History of the Various Races; their Origin, Breeding, and Merits; 
 their capacity for Beef and Milk. By W. Yoitatt and W. C. L. Martin. The whole 
 forming a Complete Guide for the Farmer, the Amateur, and the Veterinary Surg';nn. 
 with 100 Illustrations. Edited by Ambrosk Stevens. 
 
 yOUATT ON THE HORSE ; - - - - ' - - 1 ?5 
 
 Youatt on the Structure and Diseases of the Horse, ^\iih 
 their Remedies. Also, Practical Rules for Buyers, Breeders, Smiths, <fcc. Fdited by 
 W. C. Spoonek, M.R.C "V 8. With an account of the Breeds in the United tates, l)y 
 llmBY s. Randall 
 
Books Fuhlishcd hy A. 0. Mooke. 
 
 yOUATT AI^D MARTIN ON TEE HOG ; - . - - - SO 75 
 
 A Treatise on the Breeds. Management, and Medical Thkat- 
 
 ment of Swine, with Directions for Salting Pork, and Curing Tacon and Hams ' y 
 AVm. Youatt, V.S , and W. G L. Mautin Edited by Ambbobe STEVK^8. illustrated 
 with Engravings drawn from life 
 
 BLAXE'S (REV. JOHN L.) FARMER AT HOME; - 1 '^5 
 
 xV Family Text Book for the Country ; Deinpr a Cyclopedia of 
 Agricultural Implements and Productions, and of the more important topics in Do- 
 mestic Economy, . cience, and Literature, adapted to Eural Life. By Eev John L 
 
 |..AKE,DD. 
 
 MUNN'S (B.) PRACTICAL LAND DRAINER ; - - - 50 
 
 Being a Treatise on Draining Land, in which the most approved 
 systems ol Drainage are explained, and their diflFerences and comparative merits dis- 
 cussed; with fall Directions for the Cutting and Making of Drains, with Eemarks upon 
 the various malerials of which they may be constructed. With many illustrations, i y 
 h. McNN, Landscape Gardener. 
 
 ELLIOTT'S AMERICAN FRUIT GROWER'S GUIDE IN ORCHARD 
 
 AND GARDEN ; 1 25 
 
 Being a Compend of the History, Modes of Propagation, Cul- 
 ture, &C., of Fruit Trees and Sh ubs, with descriptions of nearly all the varieties of 
 Jruits cultivated in this country; and Notes of their adaptation to localities, soi's, and 
 a complete list of i ruits worthy of cultivation, i y F. E. Elliott, Pomologist. 
 
 JRACTICAL FRUIT, FLOWER, AND KITCHEN GARDENER'S COM- 
 PANION; 1 GO 
 
 With a Calendar. By Patrick Neill, LL.B.. F.R.S.E., Secre- 
 tary of the Eoyal Caledonian Horticultural Society. Adapted to the United States 
 from the fourth edition, revised and improved by the author. Edited by G.Emep.son, 
 M D., Editor of "The American Farmer's Encyclopedia."' "With Notes and Additions 
 by E. G Pardee, author of "Manual of the Strawberry Culture." "With illustrations 
 
 STEPHENS' (HENRY) BOOK OF THE FARM; - - 4 GO 
 
 A Complete Guide to the Farmer, Steward, Plowman, Cat- 
 
 tleman, Shepherd. Field Worker, and Dairy Maid By IIenrt Stephens. With Four 
 Hundred and Fifty Illustrations ; to which are added Explanatory Notes, Eemarks, 
 &c., by J S Sklnnee. Eeally one of the best books a farmer can possess 
 
 PEDDERS' (JAMES) FARMERS' LA^^D MEASURER; - - 50 
 
 Or, Pocket Companion ; Showing: at one view the Contents of any 
 Piece of Land from Dimensions taken in Yards. With a set of Useful Agricnlturv 
 Tables. 
 
 WHITE'S (W. N.) GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH; - - 1 25 
 
 Or, the Kitchen and Fruit Garden, with the best methods for 
 
 their Cultivation ; together with hints upon Landscape and Flower Gardening; con- 
 taining modes of culture and descriptions of the species and varieties of the Culinary 
 Vegetables, Fruit Trees, and Fruits, and a select list of Ornamental Trees and Plants 
 found by trial adapted to the States of the Union south of Pennsylvania, with Garden- 
 ing Calendars for the same. Ey Wm. N. White, of Athens, Georgia. 
 
 EASTWOOD (B.) ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE CRANBERRY ; 50 
 
 With a Description of the best Varieties. By B. Eastwood, 
 
 "Septimus" of the New York Tribune. 
 AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER'S MANUAL ; ... - 100 
 
 Being a Practical Treatise on the History and Domfsttc 
 
 Economy of the Honey Bee, embracing a full Illustration of the whole subject, uifh 
 the most approved methods of managing this Insect, through every branch of itj 
 Cultu e; the resnU of many years' experience. Illustrated with ma-ay enpravluga 
 By T. B. MiNKR. 
 
8 JBgoJcs ruUlshcd by A. 0. Moore. 
 
 THAER'S (ALBERT DO AGRICULTURE - - - S2 CO 
 
 'J'he PkIiVciples of Agriculture, by Albi rt D. Th\er ; trans- 
 lated by "William Shaw and Cuthbeet U'. Johnson, Esq., F.E.S. With a Memoir 
 of the Author. 1 vol 8vo. 
 
 This work is regarded by those who are competent to judge as one of the most 
 ■beautiful works that has ever appeared on the subject of Agriculture At the same 
 time that it is eminently practical, it is philosoi hical, and, even to the general reader, 
 remarkably entertainmg. 
 
 BOUSSINGAULT'S (J. E.) RURAL ECONOMY, - - 1 25 
 
 In its Relations to Chemistry, Physics, and Meteorology : 
 or, Chemistry applied to Agriculture. By J. B. Boitssingaoxt. Translated, with 
 notes, etc., by Geoege Law, Agriculturist. 
 
 " The work is the fruit of a long life of study and expeiriment, and its perusal will 
 aid the farmer greatly in obtaining a practical and scientific knowledge of his profes 
 slon." 
 
 MYSTERIES OF BEE-KEEPING EXPLAINED ; - - - 1 00 
 
 Being a Complete Analysis of the Whole Subject,^ consist in<^ 
 of the Natural History of Bees ; Directions for obtaining the greatest amount of Pure 
 Surplus Honey with the least possible expense; Eemedies for losses given, and the 
 Science of Luck fully illustrated; the result of more than twenty years' experience in 
 extensive -Apiaries. By M Quinbv. 
 
 THE COTTAGE AND FARM BEE-KEEPER ; - - - 60 
 
 A Practical Work, by a Country Curate. 
 
 WEEKS (JOHN M.) ON BEES.-A MANUAL ; - - * - 50 
 
 Or, an Easy Method of Managing Bees in the most profitable 
 manner to their owner; with infallible rules to prevent their destruction by the Moth. 
 With an appendix, by Woostek A. Flandebs. 
 
 THE ROSE; - 50 
 
 Being a Practical Treatise on the Propagation, Cultivation, 
 and Management »f the Eose in all Seasons; with a li'^t of Choice and Approved Varie- 
 ties, adapted to the Climate of the United States; to which is added full directions foi 
 the Treatment of the Dahlia, Illustrated by Engravings. 
 
 MOORE'S RURAL HAND BOOKS, 1 25 
 
 First Series, rontaiuing Treatises on — 
 
 The Hoese, The Pests of the Farm, 
 
 The Hog, Domestic Fowls, and 
 
 Tue Hoxey Bee, The Cow, 
 
 Second Series, containing — _ . - . 1 25 
 
 £vekt Lady hek own Flowee Gaedenee, Essay on Manures, 
 Elements of Aseicultuev:, American JKitciien Gardener, 
 
 His.D Fancijie, A-mbeican Rose Cultukist. 
 
 Third Series, containing — 1 25 
 
 Miles on the Horse's Foot, Vine Dresser's Manual, 
 
 The Rabbit Fanciee, Bee-Keeii e's Chart, 
 
 Weeks on Bees, Chemistey made Easy. 
 
 Fourth Series, containing — - ... 1 25 
 
 Persoz on the Vine, Hooper's Dog and Guk, 
 
 LlEBIG S FaMILIAE LETTERS, SKILLFUL HOUSEWIFE, 
 
 Browne's Memoirs of Indian Corn. 
 RICHARDSON ON DCGS : THEIR ORIGIN Al^ D VARIETIES. . 50 
 
 Directions as to their General Management. With numeroua 
 original anecdotes. Also, Complete Instructions as to Treatment under Disease. By 
 II I). Richardson. Illustrated with numerous wood engravings. 
 Tiiis Is not only a cheap work, but one of tiic best ever published on the Dog, 
 
Boohs PiiUished hy A. 0. Moore. 9 
 
 LIEBIG'S (JUSTUS) FAMILIAR LECTURES ON CHEMISTRY, SO 50 
 
 AxD ITS Relation to Commerce, Physiology, and Agriculture. 
 
 Edited by Jons Gardkwbr, M.D. 
 BEMENT'S (C. N.) RABBIT FANCIER; .... 5q 
 
 A Treatise on the Breeding, Rearing, Feeding, and General 
 Management of Rabbits, with remarks upon their diseases and remedies, to whicli are 
 adilod full directions for the construction of Hutches, Eabbitries, «fec., together with 
 recipes for cooking and dressing for the Table. Beautifully illustrated. 
 
 THOMPSON (R. D.) OIC THE FOOD OF ANIMALS - . 75 
 
 Experimental Researches on the Food of Animals and the 
 
 Fattening of Cattle; with remarks on the Food of Man. Based upon Experiments 
 undertaken by order of the British Government, by Eobebt Dundas Thomison, M.D.. 
 Lecturer on Practical Chemistry, University of Glasgow. 
 
 THE WESTERN FRUIT BOOK ; 1 25 
 
 Being a Compend of the History, Modes of Propagation, Cul- 
 ture, «fec., of Fruit Trees and Shrubs, &c., &c. By F. B. Eluott. 
 
 THE SKILLFUL HOUSEWIFE ;...... 50 
 
 Or Complete Guide to Domestic Cookery, Taste, Comfort, and 
 
 Economy, embracing 659 recipes pertaining to Household Duties, the care of Health, 
 Gardening, Birds, Education of Children, &c., &a By Mrs L. G. Abkix. 
 
 THE AMERICAN FLORIST'S GUIDE; 75 
 
 Comprising the American Rose Culturist and Every Lady heb 
 own Flower Gardener. 
 
 EVERY LADY HER G w N FLOWER GARDENER ; . . 50 
 
 Addressed to the Industrious and Economical only ; contain inir 
 Blmple and practical Directions for Cultivating Plants and Flowers: also, Illnts for tho 
 Management of Flowers in Rooms, with brief Botanical Descrijitions of Plant? nnd 
 Flowers. The whole in plain and simple language. By Louisa J onNso.;. 
 
 FISH CULTURE; 1 00 
 
 A Treatise on the Artificial Propagation of certain kinds op 
 Fish, with the description and habits of such kinds as are most suitable for pisciculture. 
 Also directions for the most successful methods of Angline, illustrated with numerous 
 engravings By Theodatus Gaklick, M.D., Vice President of Cleveland Academy 
 of Natural Science. 
 
 FLINT OK G51A33ES ; 1 25 
 
 A Practical Treatise on Grasses and Forage Plants, compris- 
 
 Ing their natural history, comparative nutritive value, methods of cultivating, cutting, 
 and curing, and the management of grass lands. By Chas. L. Flint, A.M., Secretary 
 of Mass. State Board of Agriculture. 
 
 WARDER ON HEDGE?? AND EVERGREENS ; - ^ - 1 00 
 
 A Manual on Eive Fences, with particular directions for their 
 plantine, culture and trimminsr, especially with regard to the Madura hedges, and 
 how to'make it. Also an essay on Evergreens, their varieties, propagation, transplant- 
 ing and culture in the United States. By John A. Wardke, M.D., President of 
 Cincinnati Horticultural Society. 
 
IG Books Published by A. 0. Moore. 
 
 MOORE'S 
 
 Janb gochs ta gitnl anb gcnustic (Sronomg. 
 
 All arranged and adapted to the Use qf American Farmers. 
 
 f>RIC£ 35 CENTS EACSl. 
 
 SOGS ; 
 
 Their Origin, Varieties and Management, with a View to Pro- 
 fit, and Treatment under Disease; also Plain Directions relative to the most approved 
 fiodes of preserving their Flet^h. By 11. D. Kicuakdso>', author of "The Hive and the 
 Honey Bee," &c., &c. "With illustrations — 12mo,' 
 
 THE KIVE AND THE HONEY BEE; 
 
 With Plain Directions for Obtaining a Considerable Annual 
 
 Income from this brunch of Eural Economy; also an Account of the Diseases of Bees 
 <tEd their Eemediea, and Eemarks as to their Enemies, and the best mode of protecting 
 the Hives from their attacks. By H. D. Eichakdson. With illuj^trations. 
 
 DOMESTIC roWLS ; 
 
 Their Natural History, Breeding, Rearing, and General 
 
 Mane^ -^tnent By H. D. Eichaedson, author of " The Natural History of the Fossil 
 Deer,' ^c. "With illustrations. 
 
 THE HORSE ; 
 
 Their Origin and Yarieties ; with Plain Directions as to the 
 
 Breeding Eearing, and General Management, with Instructions as to the Treatment of 
 Disease. Handsomely illustrated— 12mo. By H. D. Eichaedson. 
 
 THE ROSS; 
 
 The American Rose Culturist ; beino- a Practical Treatise ou the 
 Propagati m, Cultivation, and Management in all Seasons, &c With full directions for 
 the Treat-aent of the Dahlia. 
 
 THE PESTS OF THE EARM ; 
 
 With Instrucions for their Extirpation ; being" a Manual of 
 Plain Diivctions for the certain Destruction of every description of Vermin. With 
 numerous Illustrations on Wood. 
 
 AN ESSAY OH MANURES ; 
 
 Submitted to the Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for 
 
 Promoting Agriculture, for their Premium. By Samttel H. Dana. 
 
 THE AMERICAN BIRD FANCIER ; 
 
 Considered with Reference to the Breeding, Rearing, Feed- 
 Ing, Management, and Peculiarities of Cage and House Birds. Illustrated with Engrav- 
 ings. By D. Jay Beownb. 
 
 CHEMISTRY MADE EASY ; 
 
 For the Use of Farmers. By J. Topham. 
 ELEMENTS OF AGRICULTURE ; 
 
 Translated from the French, and Adapted to the use of American 
 
 Farmers. By F. G. Skinnkb. 
 
Books Published by A. 0. MooPuE. 11 
 
 THE HOHSE'S FOOT AND HOW TO KEEP IT SOUND; 
 
 With Cuts, illustrating the Anatomy of the Foot, and containing 
 valuable hints on shoeing and stable management, both in health and disease. By Wil- 
 liam Miles. 
 
 THE SKILLFUL HOUSEWIFE ; 
 
 Or, Complete Guide to Domestic Cookery, Taste, Comfort, and Econ- 
 omy, embracing 659 recipes pertaining to Household Duties, the care of Health, Gar 
 dening, Birds, Education of Children, &c., &c. By Mrs. L. G. Abell. 
 
 THE AMERICAN KITCHEN GARDENER ; 
 
 Containing Directions for the Cultivation of Vegetables ahd 
 
 Garden Fruits. By T. G. Fessenden. 
 
 CHINESE SUGAR CANS A??D SUGAR MAKING : 
 
 Its History, Culture, and Adaptation to the Son,, Clt5!.vte. 
 
 and Economy of the United States, "with an account of various processes of Manufac- 
 turing Sugar. Drawn from authentic sources by Cuarles F. Staksbuky, A.M., late 
 Commissioner at the Exhibition of all Nations at London. 
 
 PERSOZ' CULTURE OF THE VINE ; 
 
 A Xew Process for the Culture of the Tine, by Peksoz, Pro- 
 fessor to the Faculty of Sciences of Strasbourg; directing Professor of the School 
 of Pharmacy of the same city. Translated by J. O'C. Baeclay, Surgeon U. S. N. 
 
 THE BSE KEEPER'S CHART; 
 
 Being a Brief Practical Treatise on the Instinct. Habits, niid 
 Management of the Honey Bee, in all its various branches, the result of many years' 
 practical experience, whereby the author has been enabled to divest the subjoctof 
 much that has been consideed mysterious and diflScult to overcome, and render h 
 more sure, profitable, and Interesting to every one, than it has heretofore been. By 
 E. "W. Puelps. 
 
 EVERY LADY HER OY/IH FLOWER GARDENER; 
 
 Addressed to the Industrious and Economical only; containins 
 Simple and Practical Directions for Cultivating Plants and Flowers; ali=o. Hints for 
 the Management of Flowers in Kooms, with brief Botanical Descriptions of Plants and 
 Flower*. The whole in plain and simple language. By Louisa Johnson. 
 
 THE GOV/ ; DAIRY HUSBANDRY AND CATTLE SEEEDING. 
 
 By M. M. Milburn. and revised by H. D. Richardson and Ambrose 
 
 Stevens. "With Illustrations. 
 WILSON ON THE CULTURE OF FLAX ; 
 
 Its Treatment, Agricultural and Technical ; delivered before 
 the New York State Agricultural Society, at the Annual Fair at Saratoga, in Septem- 
 ber last, by John Wilson, late President of the Eoyal Agricultural Collece at Ciren 
 cester, England. 
 
 WEEKS ON BEES: A MANUAL. 
 
 Or, an Easy Method of Managing Bees in the most peofita- 
 ble manner to their owner, with infallible rules to prevent their destruction by tbs 
 Moth ; with an Appendix by Woosteb A. Flandees. 
 
 EEEMELIN'S (CHAS.) VINE DRESSER'S MANUAL ; 
 
 Containing full Instructions as to Location and Soil ; Prepara- 
 tion of Ground; Selection and Propagation ofVtn'-s; the Treatment of a Young 
 Vineyard ; trimming and training the vines; manures and the making of Mine. Every 
 department illustrated. 
 
 HYDE'S CHINESE SUGAR CANE; 
 
 Coxtaining it3 History, Mode of Culture, Manufacture of the 
 &ugar, &C. ; witH Reports of its success in different parts of the United Statea 
 
l?i Books PuUlshed hy A. 0. Moore, 
 
 BEMENT'S (C. M.) BABBIT FANCIER ; 
 
 A Treatise on the J3keeding, Rearing, Feeding, and General 
 Management of Eabbits, with remarks upon their diseases and remedies; to which 
 are added full directions for the construction of Hatches, Babbitries, &c., together with 
 recipes for cooking and dressing for the table. 
 
 KICHAEDSON ON DOGS : THEIE GSIGIN AND VAEIETIES ; 
 
 Directions as to their General Management. With r.umcrr'n < 
 original anecdotes. Also Complete Instructions as to Treatment under Disease. JJy 
 H. D. EicuARDSON. Illustrated with numerous wood engravings. 
 This is not only a cheap, but one of the best works ever published on the Dog. 
 
 LIEBIG'S (JUSTUS) FAMILIAR LETTERS ON CHEMISTRY ; 
 
 And its relation to Commerce, Physiology, and Agriculture 
 Edited by JonK Gaedenee, M.D. 
 
 THE DOG AJD GUN; 
 
 A few Loose Chapters on Shooting, among: which will be found 
 
 geme anecdotes and incidents. Also instructions for Dog Breaking, and iptArestiog 
 letters frjm Sportsmen. By a Bad Suot. 
 
 THE PRESERVATION OF FOOD; 
 
 The YARiors methods of preserving Meats, Fruits, Vegetables, 
 Milk, Butter. Grain, &c., by drying, smoking, pickling, and other processes. By K. 
 GdODEicii BiiiTir. 
 
Webster Family Library of Veterinary Medicine 
 
 Cummings School Of Veterinary ^tein 7 
 Tufts University 
 
 200 Westboro Road 
 Worth Grafton, MA 01536 
 
 Date Due 
 
 
 
 
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