A sum is allowed annually by Parlia ment towards the support of the college, which also derives some aid from the fees of students, and from subscription. The donation of twenty guineas makes a sub scriber for life, and the payment of two guineas yearly gives the same title for that term. In either case, the privilege of sending two horses to the veterinary hospital, free of all charges, except for keep, is thus acquired. His Majesty has given considerable importance to the in stitution, by requiring that all veterinary surgeons employed in the army should have passed examination at the college ; and he has eminently served the whole of the cavalry corps, by conferring on those surgeons the rank of commissioned offi cers. The various lecturers on medicine and surgery, who have so handsomely contributed their efforts towards the success of this important establishment, have on all occasions vied in promoting its welfare, and in extending its influ ence, by allowing the students to attend at their respective lectures, free of ex pense, those liberal professors have es sentially served the institution.
We shall now endeavour to lay before our readers a concise account of the pre sent improved mode of shoeing, and of treating diseases, as practised at the col lege.
The first object which comes under notice is, the mechanical operation of shoeing. It would be entering on too extensive a field, were we to enumerate the various forms that have been recom mended, together with the reasons as signed for the supposed superiority of each : we must content ourselves with describing the method now in use.
Mr. Coleman has the shoes made three times as thick at the toe as at the heels, because they wear more forward than be hind. By this means the heels are less oppressed with weight, and the frog is allowed to come down to the ground : a matter of extreme importance. The nails are all placed forward, four on each side, but not approaching too near the heels, that they may not obstruct the elastic powers of those parts. The old method of fullering, i. e. making a groove in the shoe, being found injurious, by often breaking away the heads of the nails, they are now counter-sunk in conical or wedge-shaped holes, so that they may be driven up close to their thickest parts, and be out of the way of accident. By this means the nails and shoes appear as one body, and always wear together.
For horses which go in shafts, or are used in hunting, it is usual to make shoes with only one heel, which should be out ward. The horse's heel must be rather lowered on that side, and the inner heel of the shoe somewhat thickened, so as to balance, and bear equally. By this easy
precaution a good footing is obtained, and cutting is effectually prevented. The best breadth for the shoe of a medi um sized horse is said to be one inch at the toe, and three quarters at the heel ; the weight about eighteen or twenty ounces. Light saddle-horses should not have shoes exceeding sixteen ounces; and, unless local circumstances prevail, twelve ounces will be generally found preferable.
In order to fit the shoe without causing the horse to stand too much on his heels, the under part of the crust, or wall of the hoof, is pared away, to receive the excess of thickness in front; for the bottom of the shoe ought to be perfectly flat, with out any stubs or calkings in front. Paring away the heels is a most destructive prac tice, except in case of absolute excres sence in those parts ; nor should the bars (or diagonal ridges) that extend from the heels to the frog, or central projection, ever be cut more than is absolutely pro per for the purpose of keeping them in a clean and healthy state. When it is considered how much the elastic power of the heels depends on the bare, which act as a spring between them and the frog, it must appear unreasonable that they should be shaved away, as is too of ten done by farriers, under the idea of preventing corns : though by such a pro cess corns are created. A good open heel is the indication of a powerful foot ; hence the sides of shoes ought not to be much contracted. When the heels are tender, what is called a bar-shoe ought to be applied. By this simple contriv ance, which saves them from pressure on uneven surfaces, many a horse has been found serviceable, that must else have been condemned to the slaughter house.
The frog appears to be the part on which the horse chiefly depends for a spring, or resistance, at the bottom of his foot. If this part does not touch the ground, the whole motion will be de rived from the upper parts of the limb, and a very uneasy gait will inevitably follow. This points out the necessity for leaving it fully at liberty to come in con tact with the ground. Some horses have been ruined by inattention to this point, and some few have naturally a defect in that part. To provide against such cir cumstances, Mr. Coleman uses an artifi cial frog, which receives the pressure, and gives the greatest firmness to the tread. It is usually but a temporary ex pedient, as the frog commonly grows, and renders the substitute unnecessary.