106 The Management and Treatment of the Horse, 



until the acid has ceased to hiss, then have the shoe 

 put on, but mind it has a fair and level bearing 

 and broad enough at the heel to cover the point 

 of the bar at its juncture with the heel. Never 

 allow the smith to spring the heel, as they say " to 

 take the pressure off the heel," for by so doing they 

 avoid one trouble and cause two. If the shoe is sprung 

 at the heel there is no level bearing, and great leverage 

 is given to the shoe which unduly bears upon the 

 quarters of the foot, the quarters being the weakest 

 part of the foot it is easily injured, and thus to avoid 

 a corn we do our best to set up inflammation. Another 

 evil is, that by an uneven bearing and great leverage 

 we put too much strain on the nails, causing them to 

 break and loosen the shoe. la cases of bad corns, if 

 you want the pressure taken off the heel, make the 

 smith thin out the heel of the shoe to one half the 

 substance of the shoe for about one inch and a 

 quarter from the point of the heel ; this should be done 

 on the wearing surface next the ground, and upon 

 no account on the side next the foot. If these in- 

 structions are fully carried out, the author is confident 

 that the worst corns can be cured in twice or three times 

 shoeing, much annoyance to master and man saved, and 

 relief given to the poor horse. This being a disease 

 brought on entirely by man's ignorance, stupidity, and 

 neglect, it is time we turned our attention to the subject, 

 and by careful shoeing and common sense to atone for 

 the suffering of the past, by studying the comfort of the 

 horse in the future, 



