1 6 THE SHOEING OF HORSES. 



naturally ; to go beyond this, is to encroach upon what is neces- 

 sarily the proper protection to the sensitive tissues of the organ 

 within. The farrier should be careful to remove any undue ele- 

 vation of the sole within the angle of the heels. Such elevations, 

 if left, may grow, and press upon the inner surface of the shoe ; 

 and corns, as a consequence, will result. The farrier should also 

 carefully remove all loose or broken portions of the wall, if any 

 exist. He should not violently twist or tear them away with his 

 pincers, as is too frequently the case, thus inflicting injury on the 

 sound horn, as well as removing that which is useless ; on the 

 contrary, he should remove such broken portions with the knife. 

 The ground surface of the wall, when practicable, should be left 

 as follows : — The lower border of the hoof, when the animal is 

 standing with his foot upon the ground (supposing the sole to be 

 flat or semi-concave), should be a quarter of an inch below the 

 sole ; the ground surface of this projection of the wall should also 

 be made perfectly level from toe to heel, or the entire circum- 

 ference of the wall.* 



The frog, if healthy, should be left alone. The knife, in its 

 application to this organ, should be strictly prohibited. It is shown 

 in Section II. (page 6), and at Plate III., Fig. 7 7, that the frog 

 Is the great protector of the navicular joint, a joint if not of greater, 

 is at least of equal importance to any point within or contiguous to 



* Unless the toe has been previously curved to adapt it to a similar curve given to the toe of 

 the shoe ; a matter to be fully treated upon ere the present section is concluded. When once the 

 toe of the foot has received its due curve, the farrier can work as readily to it as to a foot perfectly 

 level. 



