THE SHOEING OF HORSES. 37 



The diamond-toed shoe is made of the form given, with a 

 clip on each side, situate in a line parallel to the nails nearest the 

 toe. The use of the clips is to prevent the foot being forced over 

 the shoe. One or two caulks may be added according to the 

 circumstances of the case : if the animal cuts as well as forges 

 during locomotion, one caulk only should be given, and that at 

 the outer heel ; if the action, however, Is such as to place the 

 hind feet sufficiently apart to prevent cutting, a caulk may also be 

 placed upon the inside heel. The shoe is secured to the foot in 

 such a way as to leave the toe projecting over or beyond the 

 diamond part of the shoe ; by this means the horn is made to 

 strike the fore shoe instead of the hind shoe, and thus the clicking 

 sound is entirely prevented. 



The other form of shoe, Fig. 2, Plate XII., Is precisely the 

 same in principle as the shoe described above. In this shoe the 

 toe is left round. It has two clips — is secured to the foot by six 

 nails, and is so fixed to the organ as to cause the toe to hang over 

 the shoe in the manner explained above, and as shown at Fig. 2, 

 Plate XII. 



Clicking, or forging, is a habit arising more from causes of 

 a nature which may be regarded, generally speaking, of a tempo- 

 rary kind than otherwise. Short- stepping horses, having low 

 action, rarely or ever forge ; the same may be said where the 

 hind limbs are thrown wide apart during rapid motion ; in cases 

 of this kind, the tread of the hind feet shoes will be found outside 

 the tread, or the impression left upon the ground by the fore feet 

 shoes. Young horses, having free bold action, generally forge 

 when forced upon their speed, and will continue to do so If 



