ART OP SHOEING. 575 



In other respects, however, the form and substance of the 

 hind shoe require to be different, the iron is kept square in 

 working it, more substance and less cover is required, the 

 shape of the hind shoe must be like the foot, more pointed 

 and of less breadth. The heels, too, should be turned up, 

 and we prefer to turn up both heels in all cases, instead of 

 leaving the inner heel smooth, or, what is more common and 

 more injurious, left thick ; the hind feet, with their strong 

 concave ground aspect and pointed form, act powerfully 

 on the ground in governing the action of the horse. 



The custom of applying toe-pieces to the strong draught, 

 as well as cab and some of the carriage horses, is peculiar to 

 Scotland. And, firstly, we will make a few comparative 

 observations between the practice of shoeing the dray-horses 

 in London and that of the heavy cart-horses in Scotland ; 

 the weight of iron used is about the same for the four shoes 

 as they are made in London and Scotland, but the iron is 

 differently placed, and so is the bearing capacity for the foot 

 of the horse to stand on. The London cart-horse's hind shoes 

 are left with a thickness of toe at least double the substance 

 of the quarters; the heels are turned up, and when the horse 

 is shod, he stands on a triangle, the three points of bearing 

 being the toe and both heels. Their fore shoe is also devoid 

 of breadth of toe, and is left thick at the heels, but not 

 turned up. 



The Scotch shoe, more to the purpose, is forged level and 

 fullered, the heels turned up, and left strong. The toes 

 of the shoes are flattened down and left pointed, to receive 

 the toe piece, which, for town cart-horse work, is four inches 

 long, cut off a bar three-fourths of an inch to seven-eighths 

 square ; these weigh twelve to fourteen ounces each ; the toe- 

 piece is welded on when the shoes are fitted. 



On fitting the shoes the success of the whole operation 



