388 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERf. 



various diseases, most of which we have already noticed in 

 the preceding part of the work. 



Much attention has been devoted by eminent veterina- 

 rians to the best form of shoe for the prevention of contrac- 

 tion, and the consequent destruction of the expansion of the 

 hoof ; but no means have yet been devised to obviate this 

 completely. 



There cannot be a greater error than the possessors of 

 horses exercising parsimonious economy in having their 

 horses shod by those smiths who will perform the office 

 cheapest. The first object with every one should be to get 

 the work well done, because it is being " penny wise and 

 pound foolish " to have the shoes of a horse ill fitted, for the 

 saving of a few pence. 



PREPARATION OF THE FOOT FOR SHOEING 



The first thing to be done by the smith is to remove the 

 old shoe, and it is of importance to see that this is per- 

 formed in a careful and proper manner. Some smiths are 

 very careless and rash in removing the shoe, and instead of 

 turning up the points of the nails, tear ofi" the shoe by force. 

 The shoe is fixed to the foot by nails which penetrate from 

 the sole to the upper surface of the hoof ; these are broken 

 off, allowing sufficient length remaining to turn down and 

 be clenched into the horny substance. These clenches 

 should be carefully raised and rendered as straight as 

 possible, so that the nails may be pulled without injuring 

 the hoof or increasing the dimensions of the nail-holes. 

 By thus wrenching off the shoe, there is danger that some of 

 the stubs may be left in the crust and cause future lamene:is, 

 or portions of the crust itself may be torn off. In most 

 cases, where such violent treatment is practised, the horse 

 exhibits by his flinching that he suffers pain from it, and 



