igS HORSEMANSHIP. 



driven in as far as possible with the run of this structure. 

 Another advantage of this short cross-naiUng is that when 

 the shoe is taken off, the holes will be rasped out, and the 

 fresh nails will have sound tough horn to take hold of. 

 Rusty nails drive badly. 



The fewer the nails driven into the foot the better, and 

 this is especially the case with the forefoot. If farriers are 

 not supervised, they will drive as many nails round the 

 inside quarter as the outside. By the examination of a 

 freshly removed well-worn shoe, it will be observed that the 

 web on which the inside quarter has been resting, shows 

 signs of having done extra duty ; in some cases a cavity will 

 be noticed, the result of extra wear and tear at this particular 

 point ; whereas that part of the shoe which has been bear- 

 ing the outside quarter presents comparatively little evidence 

 of friction. The extra wear at this part of the wall may 

 be accounted for in two ways : first, that it is more under 

 the centre of gravity ; secondly, by the fact that the shoeing 

 smith will persist in leaving the inside wall higher than the 

 outside, throwing the limb out of balance, and thereby 

 causing abnormal strain on the ligaments of the joints, 

 lameness, and premature wearing out. In British cavalry 

 six nails is the regulation number, but five are sufficient, 

 three being driven round the outside quarter, and two on 

 the inside from the toe. As the quarters are the thickest 

 and strongest part of the walls of the hind foot, it is appro- 

 priate that they should carry the nails. 



When the nails, which should exactly fit the holes, have 

 been driven, a slight groove or notch may be filed out in 

 the wall of the hoof immediately below the point at w^hich 

 the nails come out, in which to clench the points. Having 

 twisted off the points, what remains must be turned down 

 and in with the hammer, the usual polishing up with rasp 

 and file being dispensed with. 



