OF FARRIERY. 



41 



ON SHOEING. 



Shoeing, like all other appendages to the 

 Horse, has received considerable improve- 

 ments within the last half century. Indeed, 

 the great improvement made in shoeing since 

 the establishment of the Royal Veterinary 

 College, precludes the necessity almost of my 

 giving an opinion at all, and the able works of 

 Professor Coleman, Mr. Bracy Clark, and Mr. 

 Goodwin, goes to sbew every thing necessary 

 on the subject ; but, probably, we might be 

 thoug-ht neglectful, if we did not give our 

 opinion ; we will do it as concisely as we can ; 

 for it would be impossible almost to give in '' 

 structions in shoeing, for the ignorance and 

 obstinacy of the old practitioners in farriery, 

 were difficult to overcome ; but, at length they 

 have in some measure yielded to the superi- 

 ority of study and science. The anatomy of 

 the Horse's foot is now clearly understood, and 

 without such knowledge, no man can shoe a 

 Horse properly ; hence the cause of so much 

 lameness occasioned by shoeing ; the benefit 

 derived from this knowledge cannot but rejoice 

 those who recollect the numbers of valuable 

 Horses that were crippled and spoiled by 

 ignorance and error of shoeing. The post- 

 horses, stagers, and hackney-coach-horses, 

 were compriset; principally of crippled Horses, 

 or such as were termed groggy in the feet ; 

 these poor animals would stand with their feet 

 forward, or as it is called pointing, in the 

 greatest anguish, shifting from foot to foot 

 alternately, to gain a little ease, and their very 

 countenances expressive of extreme pain ; now, 

 comparatively, few such are to be seen. With 

 care, the foot may be preserved to the last; 

 whereas, formerly, a young fresh Horse from 

 the breeder, in the space of two years, his feet 



getting gradually worse, became unfit ana 

 unsafe for any gentleman's riding, and in his 

 very prime was cast off to hard labour, ren- 

 dered more intolerable by increasing pain. 



But, though the improved system is now 

 almost become general, that every person 

 employed in shoeing Horses, knows how it 

 ought to be done ; nevertheless, there should 

 be an exactness and care, which some men 

 will not observe ; and, \\ ith all your instruc- 

 tions, these men fancy they know better than 

 all the veterinary surgeons in the world ; and, 

 in spite of all your endeavours to teach them, 

 vh y will have their own way at last. It may 

 be necessary to apprize the man who forges 

 the shoe, if the Horse is apt to interfere, 

 •''.'hich is called cutting ; and, likewise, if he 

 over-reaches with his hind-foot, striking it 

 against his fore-shoe ; which is extremely 

 unpleasant ; these things may be greatly as- 

 sisted, or totally prevented, by making, and 

 placing the shoe accordingly. The interfering 

 is remedied by leaving the inner heel as high 

 as you can, and paring the outer heel in mo- 

 deration, the inner heel of the shoe is made 

 thicker than the outer; this raising of the 

 inner heel throws the fetlock joints outwards, 

 or wider apart ; which, with that part of the 

 toe that is liable to interfere, being pared 

 close, and the shoe no wise projecting, will 

 prevent the interference, or what is called 

 cutting. 



The hind-shoe, striking against the fore, 

 which some Horses are apt to do, is prevented 

 by shortening the heel of the hind-shoes, so 

 that the hind-foot moves in unison wit'li the 

 fore-foot ; for this striking arises, prmcipally, 

 with heavy forehanded Horses, that cannot 

 get their fore-feet so quick out of the way of 

 the hind ; and, consequently, that unpleasant 



