276 NAVIX ox THE HORSE. 



the sole of its proper thickness and elastic, or springy. But 

 when the horse is shod, the sole sometimes becomes covered 

 with a thick layer of scaly, dead horn. This fills up the bot- 

 tom of the foot, keeping the sole thick and dry, and injuring 

 its springy character. And if the crust is pared down and a 

 new shoe put on without paying any attention to this dead horn 

 covering the sole, the new shoe will press on it, bruising the 

 sole, and produce corns and other injuries. Hence, before put- 

 ting on the shoe, all this scaly horn should be pared out with 

 the blacksmith's drawing-knife. The sole should be pared 

 until it will become quite springy when pressed on by the 

 thumb. Especial attention must be paid to paring the sole at 

 the seat of corns, which is the angle, or corner, between the 

 crust and bar. In horses of quick action the elasticity of the 

 sole is of the greatest importance, to prevent concussion. 



But few smiths understand the necessity of paring the sole, 

 and for this reason I must urge it upon their attention. 



Fitting the Shoe hy Burning. — This should never be done. It 

 dries up the crust, and renders it harsh and brittle. It also 

 presents to the seating a layer of dead, burnt horn, instead of 

 that in its natural state. It does the very thing which every 

 one should try to avoid. 



There can be no objection to touching the bearing of the 

 crust with the hot shoe to discover any high places that would 

 prevent the shoe from fitting closely. But this must not 

 be carried to the extent of burning. After the hot shoe has 

 marked the prominent places, it is to be removed, and those 

 places pared down. 



Eemoving the Old Shoe. — Many smiths are in the habit of 

 grasping one heel of the old shoe with a heavy pair of pinchers, 

 and then, gathering the arms with both hands, by a series of 

 wrenches, which often alarm the horse for the safety of his foot, 

 and very justly, too, succeed in tearing off one limb of the shoe. 

 The process is then repeated in the other limb, and the shoe 

 is off. But in many instances the crust is wretchedly torn, 



