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Coleman; and at present, with those who have had better selves acquainted with the construction and functions of the foot, it is recognized as a fact, that sole-pressure is almost as necessary to a healthy condition of the hoofs as frog-pressure.

fig. 193

Coleman was a stout opponent of the seated-shoe, and offered the strongest arguments he could frame to make it unpopular. It may be observed, however, that he afterwards returned to the thick-heeled shoe, but added to it clips at the inner angles of the heels, intended to grasp and pull the bars outwards. This antiquated invention was also patented,^[1] and was subsequently re-invented by many anti-contractionists. It had no success with Coleman.

1. This was the same kind of shoe as that proposed by Carlo Ruini, of Bologna, in 1598, for the same condition of the hoofs. After dilating the heels and strengthening the feet by allowing the horse to roam at large in a meadow, or unsoling the hoofs, that writer adds: 'Se gli mettera un ferro debole sottile, e stretto di verga; il quale si a tanto largo nelle calcagna, che il corno, o guscio del piede vi posi sopra; e habbi nella parte di dentro due oruchie eguali, ma d'ogni lato acconcie talmente, che pigliano nella parte di dentro del corno, e guscio del piede, senza poza potere in modo alcuno offendere, e danneggiare il vivo, e l'osso del piede. Dipoi essendo per buon spatio di tempo stato a molle il piede nell'acqua calda, e mollificato, si pigliera con le tenaglie il ferro nel calcagno e tirandolo per forza verso fuori, s'allarghera a bastanza insieme con li quarli e con le calgagno del piede.'—Anatomia et Infirmita del Cavallo, p. 653. The same description of shoe, and one opening with a screw, is noticed by J. Bridges.