SHOEING. 193 



in web at the heels, and well sunk into the groove in the 

 wall. On feet with high contracted heels and weak frogs, 

 the shoes must be very narrow in the web, and sunk fully 

 into the groove. When adopting the Charlier system for 

 the first time, in lieu of ordinary shoeing, it is advisable to 

 let the old shoes remain on for some time so as to be well 

 worn down ; by this delay the sole may have recovered from 

 the smith's paring and rasping, and has regained its normal 

 thickness and power of resistance and support. The 

 CharUer shoe may be modified, like all other shoes, and 

 is suitable for every degree of foot. '* In a well-formed 

 limb a plummet line dropped from the middle of the 

 knee should fall exactly through the centre of the toe " 

 (Fleming). 



The hind hoof is, in comparison with the fore, smaller, and 

 more elongated, has a more perpendicular steep wall, and 

 its sole is naturally more concave, with a smaller develop- 

 ment of frog. Differing from the front foot, the quarters 

 are the strongest part of the encasement in the hind. Feet 

 are of all shapes and sizes, and it is not uncommon to meet 

 with front feet that are " odd-sized," an inequality which 

 does not predispose to unsoundness, though decidedly un- 

 sightly. Black hoofs are generally built up of tougher 

 material than white ones, and are seldom so low in the heel. 

 The exterior horn of the wall is much harder than the inner 

 crust, and should, therefore, never be rasped. 



A great deal of ingenuity has been expended in endeavour- 

 ing to devise some method of attaching the shoe to the 

 horse's foot by which nailing may be done away with. I 

 was sceptical as to the possibility of any such contrivance 

 being effective till my attention was directed to what is 

 termed the " Humane " shoe, the invention of Mr. Benfield, 

 a practical shoeing smith of Walsall. The following sketches 



