DR. LEGEAR'S STOCK BOOK. 257 



and uneven action. Many, however, are only applicable to horses 

 used Bolely for speed, and in a treatise of this kind an attempt at 

 classification would be out of the question. We will endeavor, 

 however, to lay down a few rules .to go by in shoeing horses for 

 certain defects met with in nearly every day practice. 



As a majority of these troubles are due to an unbalanced action 

 caused by an unbalanced foot, the one and all-important point 

 is to see that the foot is perfectly level and properly balanced; 

 and as a general thing the horse will travel all right. If you fail 

 to make him go sound by this process, other means (mechanical) 

 must be employed. 



OVERREACH, OR FORGING. 



This is where the shoe of the hind foot strikes and injures the 

 heel or quarter of the fore foot. It is common in trotting and 

 running horses, or horses that do fast work. The parts injured 

 are usually the outside heels and quarters. 



Treatment. As a general thing, a horse that forges is not 

 properly balanced in build. If he has a low, gliding gait behind, 

 place a heavier shoe on behind than in front, which will have a 

 tendency to slow his action behind, and allow the fore feet time 

 to get out of the way. Give such a horse a long toe behind, and a 

 full heel to the shoe. Tight reining in some cases may stop 

 forging. Another mode of shoeing is to leave the toes long on 

 the front feet, and raise the heels of the hind feet. With many 

 horses this last method will answer, while in other cases nearly 

 the opposite will be necessary, as long toes behind with no heels, 

 and high quarter rolling motion shoes to the fore feet. It will 

 be seen from this that what will do in one case fails in another. 

 Make I he shoes as light as possible. If the injury is slight, use 

 cold water bandages for a few days. If the parts are deeply cut, 



