660 THE HORSE 



in large shoes than in smaller, and greater at the toe than at the heels of 

 the same shoe. 



Seven is the usual number of nails used, four on the outer and three on 

 the inner quarter, but for some horses five only will be made to answer well 

 enough. Feet vary so much that no absolute rule can be laid down as to 

 the proper number to be employed. 



The shoe recommended by Mr. Spooner in his well-known and admir- 

 able work on The Foot of the Horse, is described by that gentleman as 

 follows : — " It is then a seated shoe, with the flat part rather wider than 

 common. The web of the shoe, for a moderate-sized horse used on the road, 

 is about an inch in width, but varying according to circumstances, and being 

 narrower at the heels, where the upper wearing surface is very slightly 

 bevelled outwards, than at the other parts ; the ground part flat, sometimes 

 fullered and sometimes stamped ; but when the former plan is adopted the 

 fuller is not deep, or too near the edge, but somewhat wider than common. 

 Three holes merely are stamped on the inside toe, and five on the outside 

 toe and quarters, with a clip at the toe and another at the outer quarter. 

 Sometimes, instead of a clip at the toe, the shoe is turned up in the French 

 fashion, as recommended by Mr. Goodwin ; this plan is very advantageous 

 when horses are in the habit of hitting the toe and tripping, or wearing it 

 in undue proportion. In contracted feet the application of this shoe has 

 materially enlarged the foot, quite as much as it is desirable to do ; indeed, 

 I believe if it were applied early, contracted feet would be altogether avoided. 

 It is also calculated in great measure to prevent corns, from bearing su easy 

 on the inside heel." 



These are admirable directions, with the exception of the clip on the out- 

 side, which I strongly object to as destroying so much of the crust for no 

 useful purpose. Mr. Spooner's plan of filing the heels, with a slight inclina- 

 tion outwards, is excellent, as it has a tendency to prevent the heel of the 

 crust from curling inwards, and may possibly cause it to expand slightly in 

 the contrary direction. I confess, however, that I cannot see what there 

 is in his shoe to make " the bearing so easy on the inside heel." On the 

 contrary, the bevelling outwards of the heel of the shoe has a tendency to 

 cause an increase of pressure on the seat of corn, rather than to relieve it. 

 My own opinion is that it does neither the one nor the other, unless the 

 shoe is twisted bodily outwards. 



The shoe used m hunting is made of a different shape as regards the 

 seating, being only slightly relieved with the file at this part, so as to avoid 

 any approach to convexity, and hollowed on the outside, in a manner similar 

 to the form adopted in the inside of the ordinary shoe, shown in Fig. 119. 

 This is intended to give a firmer foothold of the ground than the smooth 

 web of the common shoe will allow of, and answers that purpose most 

 eflfectually. In other respects, the hunting shoe is made exactly like the 

 common shoe, except that it is generally as light as possible, consistently 

 with a necessary strength. Sometimes the outside nails must be carried 

 considerably further back than I have here represented, and especially when 

 the horse to be shod is apt to pull off his shoes, or when ho is intended for 

 a deep clay country ; but for grass or any light arable, seven nail holes, 

 punched as I have represented in Fig. 120, and the nails well driven and 

 clinched, will keep on the shoe, without any danger of its getting a twist. 



