THE PUTTING ON OF THE SHOE, 3I5 



our readers, the observation which we have made in page 283, that the 

 destruction of the bars not only leads to contraction by removing a power- 

 ful impediment to it, but by adding a still more powerful cause in the 

 slanting direction which is given to the bearing at the heels, when the bar 

 does not contribute to the support of the weight. 



It will also be apparent that the horn between the crust and the bar should 

 be carefully pared out. Every horseman has observed the relief which is 

 given to the animal lame with corns when this angle is well thinned ; a 

 relief, however, which is but temporary, for when the horn grows again, 

 and the shoe presses upon it, the torture of the animal is renewed, with the 

 greater probability of permanent ill consequences. 



The degree of paring to which the frog must be subjected will depend 

 on its prominence, and on the shape of the foot. The principle has already- 

 been stated, that it must be left so far projecting and prominent, that it shall 

 be just within and above the lower surface of the shoe, it will then descend 

 with the sole, sufficiently to discharge the functions which we have attrib- 

 uted to it. If it be lower, it will be bruised and injured; if it be higher, it 

 cannot come in contact with the ground, and thus be enabled to do its duty. 

 The ragged parts must be removed, and especially those occasioned by 

 thrush, but the degree of paring must depend entirely on this principle, 

 and be governed by the circumstances enumerated. 



It appears, then, that the office of the smith requires some skill and 

 judgment in order to be properly discharged ; and the horse proprietor will 

 find it his interest occasionally to visit the forge and complain of the care- 

 less, or idle, or obstinate, and reward, by some trifling gratuity, the expert 

 and diligent. He should likewise remember that a great deal more depends 

 on the paring out of the foot than on the construction of the shoe ; that few 

 shoes, except they press upon the sole, or are made outrageously bad, will 

 lame the horse; but that he may be very easily lamed from ignorant and 

 improper paring out of the foot. 



THE PUTTING ON OF THE SHOE. 



The foot being thus prepared, the smith looks about for a shoe. He 

 should select one that as nearly as possible fits the foot, or may be altered 

 to the foot. He will sometimes care little about this, for he can easily alter 

 the foot to the shoe. The toe-knife is a very convenient instrument for 

 him, and plenty of horn can be struck off with it, or removed by the rasp, 

 to make the foot as small as the shoe; while he cares little, although by 

 this destructive method the crust is materially thinned where it should 

 receive the nail, and the danger of puncture is increased, and also the 

 danger of pressure upon the sole, and a foot so artificially diminished in 

 size will soon grow over the shoe, to the hazard of considerable or perma- 

 nent lameness. 



While choosing the shoe, we must once more refer to the shape of our 

 pattern shoe; the web is of equal thickness from toe to heel. A shoe 

 thinner at the heel than at the toe, by letting down the heel too low, is apt to 

 produce sprain of the flexor tendon, and a shoe thicker at the heel than at 

 the toe is fit only to elevate the frog, to the desl'uction of its function, and 

 to its own certain disease, and also to press upon, and to oatter, and to bruise 

 that part of the foot which is soonest and most destructively injured. 



