SIIOEIXG v\- THE J'OUE-FEET. 439 



lo auswer best iu the two countries, whose climatic couditiuus are iden- 

 tical, and which necessitate auxiliary aid to foothold in the shape of 

 projections for half the year. 



The Russian shoe is p'rovided witl, a steel toe wed-e and a luuailuduud 

 sliarpened wed-e at cadi heel, whilst the American is provided with a 

 wider toe steel wedge and a transverse wedge at each heel 



I'or ordmaiy carriage work however screws are generallv used iu 

 IJussia. 



CDAPTER Ct. 



.sUOEIN(i OF THE FUKE-FEET. 



Plates 17 to 57. Figures consecutive throughout. 



!»!'2. Of Fore-shoes. 1)93. Wear of the Fore-shoes. Wi. Form nf {he 

 toe of the Fore-shoe. P95. FUlhuj of turneiUqy fore-shoes. WCy. Action 

 <'J the forc-hg. 



992. Of Fore-shoes. 



In the two previous chai>ters I have stated all that I believe to be 

 necessary to the health of the foot and the securitv of the shoe on the 

 foot. 



■ The following remarks in regard to the best form of the toe of the 

 lore-shoe do not concern the health of the foot, nor is the svstem recom- 

 luended in these remarks essential to good shoeing. I advocate the 

 turning up of the toe of the fore-shoe because I believe it gives ease and 

 comfort to the horse and safety to the rider. But I admit at once that 

 It IS not essential to good shoeing or to the health of the foot. I must 

 ask the reader not to regard it as a cardinal point in the svstem I have 

 recomniended, but simply as a valuable adjunct. (Plate' 51, fi-s 16 

 and l(.) \ ' o 



993. Wear of the Fore-shoes. 



Every person accustomed to horses must have remarked the very 

 uneven manner in which the wear is distributed over the fore-shoe iu 

 ordinary use. At the end of the month the toe is the only j.art worn 

 out. It IS inconsistent with the general structure of the foot, and with 

 tlie beautilul economy of space and material shown bv Nature in all her 

 works, to suppose that such uneiiual wear can be natural. The structure 

 ot the weight-bearing j-ortion of the foot 6ufiici«jntly indicates that the 

 wp.ght, and consequently the wear, is intended to be pretty evenlv dis- 

 tributed over the foot. 



In our adaptation of a shoe to the foot we should endeavour not to 



I 



