THREE CLIPS AND TEN NAIL-HOLES. 91 



a groove in it, the farrier has done his best to 

 produce seedy toe, gravelling, and consequent 

 founder. 



As to cutting a groove to receive the clip on 

 the quarters, it may be urged that if the inside clip 

 were not sunk into the hoof it would cut the oppo- 

 site leg. So it might ; but that is no reason for 

 sinking either the toe clip or the outside clip into 

 the hoof, even granting that either were necessary. 

 But in the eyes of the ordinary farrier external show 

 and the fashion of the day are everything, while 

 knowledge of anatomy, reason, and common sense 

 count for nothing. 



So wedded are the farriers to custom, that instead 

 of using the clips as a succedaneum for nails, they 

 use the clips and the nails besides. There is now 

 before me a horseshoe which I purchased from a 

 well-known forge, and which not only has three 

 large clips, but ten nail-holes besides, so that the 

 grooves for the reception of the clips not only 

 weaken the wall, but diminish the space in which 

 nails can be safely inserted. 



As to the nails themselves, they will be pre- 

 sently mentioned when the shoe comes under con- 

 sideration. 



Two more methods of injuring the hoof are at 

 the farrier's disposal after the knife and the red-hot 



