HORSESHOEING. 447 



The foot should not be scooped out so as to 

 leave the wall projecting without any support ; 

 for the wall of the hoof is the base upon which 

 the horse travels, and this should be supported 

 by a sufficiency of the sole as a " ground sur- 

 face." The shoes should be removed and the 

 feet prepared one at a time. 



In fitting a shoe to the foot, after it has been 

 thoroughly prepared, the farrier should take hold 

 of the foot and see that the shoe is perfectly 

 easy on the heels, and that he has sufficient room 

 all around in the manner illustrated on Plate No. 

 ii. If the shoe is found to fit well everywhere, 

 he will take the foot between his knees, and 

 placing the shoe properly, drive the nails with 

 great care, so that the shoe cannot get out of 

 its proper place. When the nails are started he 

 should hammer them home lightly, or according 

 to the foot he is working on. The three nails 

 on the inside and outside, toward the toe, should 

 always be driven a little tighter than the heel 

 nails, so as to prevent pressure on the heels. 

 No man should be in a hurry in shoeing a horse, 



