THE SHOEING OF HORSES. 1 7 



the foot. The frog, as previously stated, is really a buffer to the 

 joint in question ; and to cut its horny substance wantonly away, 

 is to inflict what may ultimately prove a fatal injury to the sound- 

 ness of the foot and the usefulness of the animal. Numbers of 

 gentlemen and owners of horses will insist upon the removal of 

 large portions of horn from the frog ; they like, as they express it, 

 to have the foot left neat. To sacrifice this organ from mere 

 caprice, and thus render their horses liable to injury of an irre- 

 parable nature, is a matter of regret. 



The bars are the only parts left unnoticed in our remarks. 

 The bars, like the frog, should be left untouched with the knife. 

 It is a common matter with dealers and many horsemen to insist 

 upon the farrier paring the bars to a level with the sole, which is 

 done to give the foot a wider appearance than it really possesses ; 

 this, to say the least of it, is a foolish and reprehensible practice. 



We have thus described — we trust clearly — to the reader the 

 operations necessary in preparing the foot for the shoe. We shall 

 next proceed to treat upon the preparation of the shoe. 



Seating the Shoe. — By seating the shoe is meant the forma- 

 tion of a level space upon the foot surface of the shoe, varying frotn 

 three-eighths of an inch to half an inch in widths or according to the 

 size of the foot to be shod ; and upon which should rest the inferior 

 border of the wall, when the wall and the shoe are nailed together, 

 and through which the nail holes of the shoe, in all cases ^ should be 

 punched. A clearer explanation may perhaps be afforded to the 

 reader, if reference be made to Plate V. 



D 



