MODERN BLACKSMITHING 



151 



result of shoeing and artificial living-. Before the colt 

 is shod his hoofs are large and open-heeled, the quar- 

 ters are spread out wide, and the foot on the under side 

 is shaped like a saucer. The reason of the colt's foot 

 being so large is that he has been running on the 

 green and moist turf, without shoes, and the feet have 

 in walking in mud and dampness gathered so much 

 moisture that the)^ are growing and spreading at every 



IBadiiy contTzacted fbfft. 



step. This is changed when the colt is shod and put 

 on hard roads, or taken from the pasture and put on 

 hard floors where the feet become hard and dried up. 

 A strong high heeled foot is predisposed to contrac- 

 tion, while a low heeled flat foot is seldom atflicted 

 with this trouble. 



When contraction comes from bad shoeing or from 

 standing on hard floors, pull the shoes off, pare down 

 the foot as much as you can, leaving the frog as large 

 as it is. Rub in some hoof ointment once a day at the 



