578 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



though not so effective on ice. 

 the best of many rubber pads. 



Figure 11 is an ilhistration of one of 

 The rubber is stitched and cemented 

 to a leather sole and is secured by 

 the nails of a three-quarter shoe. 

 Such a pad will usually last as 

 long as two shoes. They may be 

 used continuously, not only with- 

 out injury to the hoof, but to its 



Fig. 11. — Left fore hoof of regular form shod with a 

 rubberpad and " three-quarter" shoe. (Ground 



surface.) 



great benefit. The belief, unsup- 

 ported by evidence, that rubber 

 pads " draw the feet " keeps many 

 from using them. A human foot 

 encased in a rubber boot may even- 

 tually be blistered by the sweat 

 poured upon the surface of the 

 skin and held there by the imper- 

 vious rubber till decomposition 

 takes place with the formation of 

 irritating fatty acids; but there is 

 no basis for an analogy in the hoof 

 of a horse. 



Some drawings, designed to illustrate shoeing in connection with 

 " interfering " and " forging," are given herewith. 



Fig. 12.— a narrow right fore hoof of the base- 

 wide (toe-wide) standing position, shod with a 

 plain "dropped-crease " shoe to prevent the toe- 

 cutting (interfering). The dotted line at the 

 inner toe indicates the edge of the wall which 

 was rasped away in order to narrow the hoof 

 along the striking section. Note the inward 

 bevel of the shoe at this point, the dropped 

 crease, the distribution of the nails, the long 

 "full" inner branch, and the short "close" 

 outer branch. 



