124 Veterinary Elements. 



hand down the limb to be lifted, pinch slightly with the 

 thumb and first finger just above the fetlock, the foot 

 will usually be lifted by the animal, to hold it easily, 

 grasp the toe of the foot and thus let the animal bear its 

 own weight; in removal of the shoe a firmer grip is 

 necessary. All clinches should be lifted before trying 

 to pull oif the iron, and when doing so avoid twisting 

 of the foot, or injury to the joints at that part will result. 

 The greater number of shoeing smiths are more compe- 

 tent to judge of the amount of trimming and cutting re- 

 quired by a hoof than is the average horse owner; the 

 trouble is usually that people do not take their horses to 

 the smith often enough. The frog should be left promi- 

 nent, so that it will project beyond the bearing surface 

 of the quarters and thus limit the amount of jar. As 

 the bars are inflections of the walls, and therefore meant 

 to support weight, they should not be cut away. The 

 pattern of the shoe for the sound foot is immaterial so 

 long as its bearing is true and level and rests on the walls 

 and bars. The shoe surface should be wide enough to 

 cover the wall and white line, the web being wider at 

 the toe than at the heels. Toe and heel calks are better 

 dispensed with unless on slippery roads. Avoid excess 

 of weight in shoes; for that purpose steel and aluminum 

 are used. Horses are made to go high by leaving on lots 

 of foot or by weighting with heavy shoes, the weight 

 being placed at or near the toe, therefore, the extreme 

 high action shown by some horses may be considered as 

 more or less artificial; education has a great deal to do 

 with high action, as it is well known by horsemen that 

 the so-called high- stepping breeds need educating in 

 order to get the highest action out of them. 



