STABLE MANAGEMENT 253 



these lessons we never sank the shoes more than half the 

 depth of the iron, and many years of subsequent experience 

 have proved this to be quite sufficient. 



The most practical way of testing whether the surface 

 is level (Rule 1) is, after roughly cutting the groove, to apply 

 the shoe sufficiently hot to slightly burn the horn in every 

 direction ; all the burned part must then be removed with 

 the rasp, and then the hot shoe applied again for a moment. 

 Any part requiring a further use of the rasp is thus easily 

 seen, and so long as any discolouration occurs the rasp 

 must be used, though the hot shoe must only be momen- 

 tarily applied, or the heat may have an undue effect upon 

 the soft, yielding fibres. Very often a slight burnt crust 

 extends for a very short space from the corner, which 

 the smith may think of no consequence, but if this is 

 left the shoe will press upon it and cause the animal to 

 go short after a little time. 



One of the commonest causes of a horse losing its 

 action is non-observance of Rules 2 and 3, for if the 

 weight of the horse presses the sharp inner edge of the 

 shoe against the soft part of the horn a tender place 

 is soon created in the sensitive foot. But by keeping the 

 corner of the groove quite sharp, while the edge of the 

 shoe is rounded off, there is sufficient room between the two 

 to prevent them coming into actual contact. The edge of 

 the shoe is quickly taken off by a few blows of the hammer 

 when the iron is hot, and it can afterwards be finished 

 smooth with the rasp. 



If the shoe does not fit the groove accurately (Rule 4), 

 sand and gravel may work in, and then there will be 

 trouble. The groove should not be cut with the knife quite 

 the required size, for when the hot shoe is applied it is easy 

 to enlarge the groove to the required dimensions, with the 

 rasp. If the maxim to leave the sole untouched is 

 important in the case of ordinary shoes, it is doubly so 

 with Charliers, for then the horse has to rely entirely 

 on the thickness of the horn for protection when treading 

 on broken road-metal. It is the same with the frog, which 

 must only have the ragged parts trimmed off; but the 



