THE WEIGHT OF SHOES. 445 



insures the hoof retaining its proper shape at the heels ; is a valuable sup- 

 porter of the limb and foot while the animal is standing or moving ; and is 

 an active agent, from its shape and texture, in preventing slipping. 



" Opening up the heels. This operation is quite as injurious, if it is not 

 more so, than mutilating the sole and frog. . . . When it is hacked away 

 by the farrier's knife, the wall of the hoof is not only considerably weak- 

 ened, but the hoof gradually contracts toward the heels." G. Fleming, 

 " Practical Horseshoeing" p. 46 et seq. 



"The bars demand no especial treatment except to be let alone. If let 

 alone they will perform their duties efficiently and well." Sir F. Fitzwy- 

 gram, " Horses and Stables" p. 475. 



" Provided the hoof, before it comes into the hands of the farrier, has 

 the proper inclination and is equal on both sides of its ground-face, but is 

 nevertheless overgrown, the artisan has then only to remove the excess of 

 growth without disturbing the relations between the several regions of the 

 wall. Or should the hoof be overgrown, too oblique, too upright, or unequal 

 at the sides, then in remedying the one defect he at the same time remedies 

 all. The amount of horn to be removed from the margin of the hoof will 

 depend upon circumstances. It may be laid down as a rule, however, that 

 there being but little horn to remove at the heels, these should only be 

 rasped sufficiently to insure the removal of all loose material incapable of 

 supporting the shoe ; the quarters or sides of the hoof may require a freer 

 application of the rasp, but as the toe is reached, a larger quantity must be 

 removed. The limit to this removal at the front of the hoof must be when 

 the wall is almost or quite reduced to a level with the strong impaired sole. 

 It must ever be borne in mind that, if the wall does not stand beyond the 

 level of the sole, it does not require reducing." G. Fleming, "Practical 

 Horseshoeing" p. 44. 



THE WEIGHT OF SHOES 



" The growth of the foot renders it necessary that the shoe should be 

 refitted at the end of a month. . . . 



" Prima facie, therefore, shoes should be as thin as is compatible with 

 their wearing for a month. But practically there should be a week's wear 

 to spare at the end of the month, both because it is not always convenient 

 to send a horse to be shod on any particular day, and because it would be 



