THE SHOEING OF HORSES. 27 



at the inside quarter and heel, so that the more close or high 

 towards the heel the doorman drives his nail, the more danger he 

 incurs of inflicting injury. A nail in its course should not pass 

 through the lemon of the foot ; the more strictly such course is 

 confined to the dark portion of the wall, the less likely is the nail to 

 prove injurious. A prick arises from the nail puncturing the blood 

 vessels, which are situated immediately behind the yellow coloured 

 substance of the hoof; the nail entering the lemon merely, generally 

 causes pressure upon the laminae, which, in heavy bred horses, 

 three or four or more days may elapse before the injurious effects 

 are visible, and when manifested, if promptly removed and the foot 

 properly treated, no serious consequences may ensue ; but if the 

 foot be pricked, the evil effects, as a general rule, are visible at 

 once. The most sober, careful, and skilled workman may prick a 

 horse ; it is almost impossible at all times to avoid it, especially 

 where the hoof is very thin, and the animal extremely restless at 

 the time of being shod. If the generality of those who own horses 

 knew of the narrow space in which the workman is compelled to 

 confine his nail in its course through the foot, they would marvel 

 that such accidents are not more common. 



Number of Nails Requisite to Each Shoe. — This is a some- 

 what vexed question, and many opinions prevail as to the proper 

 number of nails necessary to secure the shoe to the foot. Some 

 writers strongly advocate five as being the proper number ; others 

 six and seven. The patentee of the " Goodenough* Horse Shoe" 



* The Goodenough Horse Shoe: A patent shoe which during the past eighteen months has received 

 an amount of advocacy and praise marvellous to hear ; a shoe which a friend of mine facetiously 



