72 MANUAL FOR ARMY HORSESHOERS. 



walk, the rider should seize one of his ears. It is found in practice 

 that this plan distracts his attention and allows the weighted shoes 

 to produce the effect intended. Whenever the horse returns to the 

 single-foot, he should be brought down to the walk and started again 

 with the grasp on the ear. This method may sometimes be found 

 of use, but, like the pacer, the aingle-foot horse should have no place 

 in the service. 



65. When a horse has been shod to improve his gait, he should 

 be ridden with the snaffle bit, which admits of greater freedom of 

 movement. The reins should be held with a light hand, and the 

 horse should be forced up against the bit by the use of the legs. 



CORRECTING FAULTY ACTION. 



66. It is a well-estabhshed rule in shoeing that, in order to cor- 

 rect faults in gaits, the sheer should proceed gradually from one 

 extreme to the other. 



FORGING. 



67. Forging, or clicking, is a fault in gait at the trot, the toe of 

 the hind foot overtaking and striking the bottom of the forefoot. 



Causes. — Faulty conformation; horses with short bodies and 

 relatively long legs; horses with the front or hind feet set too far 

 under the body. Leg weariness, a condition caused by debility 

 or overexertion. Improper preparation or shoeing that tends to 

 slow the action of the front feet, as feet with toe too long or heels too 

 low; shoes too long or too heavy. Preparation or shoeing that tends 

 to increase the action of the hind feet, as feet with toes too .short or 

 heels too high; shoes with heel calks and no toe calk. Rough ground 

 and poor horsemanship; the reins held too loosely, the horse not be- 

 ing kept up to the bit. 



Remedies. — To correct this defect by shoeing, the object of the 

 shoer is to quicken the action of the front feet and to slow the action 

 of the hind feet. 



Three methods for the correction of forging are given. The first 

 method is a mild corrective treatment, while the third is adopted 

 only as a last resort. 



First or mild method. — For the front feet, lower the toes and leave 

 the heels a trifle high. The heels of the hind feet should be lowered 

 and the toes left a trifle long. The front shoes should be light in 

 weight; the heels of the shoe fitted short so as to just cover the but- 



