106 THE PRACTICAL HORSESHOER. 



How anyone who has given the subject thought can b^'- 

 lieve that it is injurious to touch the hot shoe to the super- 

 fluous horn upon the bottom of the hoof, hoi'u which has 

 served its purpose and would be entirely worn away wei-e 

 the animal to go barefooted for a short time, considering, 

 too, the fact that horn is a non-conductor of heat, passes 

 my comprehension. 



I am satisfied that the evils attributed to " hot fitting" 

 are due to other causes which only the most thorough 

 kuowledge of the physiology and anatomy of the parts, and 

 a long experience will reveal. 



The business of shoeing and managing horses' feet so as 

 to preserve soundness and restore those which have become 

 ill-shapen and diseased, is one whose importance can scarce- 

 ly be overestimated. — By E. A. McLellan. 



Against Hot Fitting. 



I cannot see why anyone is in favor of hot fitting, unless 



it is easier done. It sui*eh^ is not because a hot shoe is 



beneficial to the hoof. Do you think that you can take 



a hot shoe and burn a bearing without injury to the 



• hoof ? 



Heat is one of the worst enemies of the health and tough- 

 ness of a horse's hoof. I never saw a hoof that had been 

 subjected to hot fitting for an^^ length of time that was not 

 greatly damaged, being hard, dry and brittle. You cannot 

 apply a hot shoe to a horse's hoof without injury. If the foot 

 is flat or thin it will stand very little heat, and at any rate 

 you are working on dangerous ground. A foot dressed 

 with nippers, knife and rasp to a level bearing, and shoe 

 properly fitted and nailed, has none of the above objections. 

 —By R. T. 



