SHOEING OF THE FOKE-FEET. 439 



to answer best in the two countries, whose climatic conditions are iden- 

 tical, and which necessitate auxiliary aid to foothold in the shape of 

 projections for half the year. 



The Russian shoe is provided with a steel toe wedge and a longitudinal 

 sharpened wedge at each heel, whilst the American is provided with a 

 wider toe steel wedge and a transverse wedge at each heel. 



For ordinary carriage work however screws are generally used in 

 Russia. 



CHAPTER 64. 



SHOEING OF THE FORE-FEET. 

 Plates 47 to 57. Figures consecutive throughout. 



992. Of Fore-shoes. 993. Wear of the Fore-shoes. 994. Form of t lie 

 toe of the Fore-shoe. 995. Fitting of turned-up fore-shoes. 996. Action 

 of the fore-leg. 



992. Of Fore-shoes. 



In the two previous chapters I have stated all that I believe to be 

 necessary to the health of the foot and the security of the shoe on the 

 foot. 



The following remarks in regard to the best form of the toe of the 

 fore-shoe do not concern the health of the foot, nor is the system recom- 

 mended in these remarks essential to good shoeing. I advocate the 

 turning up of the toe of the fore-shoe because I believe it gives ease and 

 comfort to the horse and safety to the rider. But I admit at once that 

 it is not essential to good shoeing or to the health of the foot. I must 

 ask the reader not to regard it as a cardinal point in the system I have 

 recommended, but simply as a valuable adjunct. (Plate 54, figs. 16 

 and 17.) 



993. Wear of the Fore-shoes. 



Every person accustomed to horses must have remarked the very 

 uneven manner in which the wear is distributed over the fore-shoe in 

 ordinary use. At the end of the month the toe is the only part worn 

 out. It is inconsistent with the general structure of the foot, and with 

 the beautiful economy of space and material shown by Nature in all her 

 works, to suppose that such unequal wear can be natural. The structure 

 of the weight-bearing portion of the foot sufficiently indicates that the 

 weight, and consequently the wear, is intended to be pretty evenly dis- 

 tributed over the foot. 



In our adaptation of a shoe to the foot we should endeavour not to 



