134 HOUSE AND MAN. 



direction. As the horse goes on trotting or even 

 walking, the nails become more and more bent, and 

 their points are liable to penetrate the linea alba, an 

 accident which often results in lockjaw. In Mayhew's 

 well-known work on ' Horse Management,' p. 83, 

 there is a very good figure of the mischief which 

 may be wrought by a loosened shoe. 



Even granting that no such accident happen, and 

 that the shoe retains its position, the horn of the toe 

 is kept off the ground, and so cannot be subject to 

 the friction which is necessary for its benefit. It 

 therefore continues to grow unchecked, while that 

 of the quarters is incessantly worn away and renewed 

 as it ought to be. 



Now, granting for the sake of argument that the 

 horse must have a shoe, it is evident that the best shoe 

 is that which interferes least with the natural growth 

 and action of the hoof. Such a shoe is the ' Charlier,' 

 so named after its inventor. It is extremely narrow, 

 and very light ; but its essential excellence lies in the 

 fact that it is not nailed upon the hoof, but is counter- 

 sunk into the horn, so as to be flush with the natural 

 edge. 



The Charlier shoe is made of various sizes. Most 

 of them are ' full ' or ' three-quarter ' shoes, as seen 

 in the accompanying illustration. These, however, 

 are not to be recommended, as they are apt to work 



