THE SHOEING OF HORSES. 47 



4. What are the best modes to pursue for the Preservation of 

 the Foot ? — This is an important question, and one worthy of the 

 attentive consideration of every individual owning horses. To 

 some extent we have treated upon it in our answer to the first 

 question proposed in the present section. It will be proper to 

 regard this question in a twofold relation — first, with reference 

 to the feet of colts in a wild or unbroken state ; and secondly, with 

 reference to the feet of civilised horses. 



Management of Colts Feet. — It is highly necessary regularly 

 to examine with care the feet of wild colts ; such feet are subject 

 to great irregularity of growth, also to splitting and fracture of 

 the wall, bruising of the sole from hardness and irregularity of the 

 ground, the insinuation of sand, pebbles, and other foreign bodies 

 within the cleft of the frog, injuries to the coronet from treads and 

 over-reaches when playing with each other, or when galloping in 

 herds. 



Irregularity of Growth is a matter which should receive every 

 attention. Sometimes it manifests itself by an overgrowth of horn 

 at the toe ; sometimes by a similar overgrowth of horn at the 

 inside quarter; either of which, unless checked, will produce a 

 turning in of the toe, and in time an outward projection or bowed 

 state of the fetlock joint. Numbers of horses have this peculiar 

 projection of the fetlock joint, arising, in the first instance, from 

 the want of proper care and attention to the feet when young. 

 All such tendencies of growth in the foot, from whatever cause, 

 should receive prompt attention. In attending to the foot of the 

 colt, avoid paring the frog and the sole. All the horn which 



