SHOES 



443 



cease about an inch or an inch and a half in front of the extremities of 

 the shoe. 



The ground surface may vary in form without affecting the foot in 

 any way. The chief variations are such as aftbrcl some special means of 

 increasing the security of foothold, and of providing against injury to the 



Fig. 633.— A "Seated" Foot Surface 



Fig. 634.— A Bad Foot Surface 



horse. A Hat surface, broken only by a groove or holes for nails, is 

 often u.sed. Eidges or grooves are sometimes added for the special 

 purpose of affording better grip of the road surface. Transverse grooves 

 weaken a shoe and cause it to break more ea.sily than longitudinal ones. 

 What is known as Rodway iron is rolled in bai'S, having on the ground 

 surface two grooves and three ridges (fig. 635). Into the outer groove the 



Fig. 635. — Rodw.ay Iron Shoe with Double Grooves 



Fig. 636. — A "Concave" Uromul Surface 



nails are driven. No better form of shoe exists for harness work, provided 

 it affords the necessary wear; but this is just where it fails for the heavier 

 class of horse. 



The hunting-shoe is concave on the ground surface, with a groove 

 for the nails round its outer border (fig. 636). This is a good form for 

 hacks and other light horses, as it affords very firm foothold, especially 

 upon the grass and .soft roads. 



