74 MANUAL FOR ARMY HORSESHOERS. 



tress; the toe of the shoe rolled to its full extent (PI. XIX, fig. 5), 

 to increase the rapidity with which the foot breaks over. The hind 

 shoes should be a trifle heavier than the front shoes, and the heels 

 left a trifle long. In order to prevent the noise made by the striking 

 of shoe on shoe, should the feet occasionally meet in action, the hind 

 shoe should be squared at the toe and fitted so that about three- 

 quarters of the wall at the toe projects over the shoe. 



Second or medium' method. — Normal preparation of the feet. 

 Use a fairly heavy toe- weight shoe (PI. XX, hg. 2 ) in front and hea^^y 

 side- weight shoes (Pi. XX, fig. 1) on the hind feet, the weight and 

 trailer being on the outside. The effect of the toe weight is to in- 

 crease the forward extension of the feet "with low action; the side 

 weight and trailer on the hind feet induce an outward swing of the 

 foot and leg, thus giving the front feet more time for breaking over 

 and getting out of the way. 



Third or ec^treme method. — Prepare the feet as explained for the 

 first method. The front shoe (PI. XIX, fig. 2) should be light in 

 weight, fitted short at the heels, and with short-heel calks inclined 

 well to the front; toe of the shoe thoroughly rolled. The hind shoe 

 (PI. XIX, fig. 1) should be heavy in weight, with a small toe calk 

 set well back from the front edge of the shoe; toe of the shoe squared; 

 heels long and side clips between the first and second nail holes. 



The calks on the front shoe raise the heels, thus diminishing the 

 distance which they muat be lifted by the flexor tendons, and con- 

 sequently cause more rapid breaking over. The toe calk on the 

 hind shoe raises the toe, thus increasing the distance the heels 

 must be lifted by the flexor tendons, and consequently delays the 

 breaking over of the foot. The long heels also increase the labor 

 of the tendons by their extra weight. By using this method the 

 feet are thrown so far out of their natural position that the ligaments 

 and tendons are apt to be seriously affected in time by the heavy 

 strain placed upon them. 



STUMBLING. 



68. The horse stumbles in breaking over, or just after breaking 

 over, as a result of not raising and carrying a foot high enough to 

 clear the ground. Horses stumble more frequently with the front 

 than with the hind feet. 



Causes. — Poor conformation; horses with light fore quarters and 

 heavy hind quarters. Weakness: During convalescence from severe 

 sickness or as the result of a strain of a leg muscle. Fatigue : Induced 



