THE PRACTICAL HORSESHOER. 



129 



and how large the shoe should be, then lay the spreader 

 flat on the foot, with the side hooks in the heel, and turn 

 the screw. The larger the thread is on the screw the 

 easier it will be to spread the foot. A good smith can tell 

 whether the heel or toe is too long hy looking at the foot. — 

 By B. B. 



Shoe for Contracted Feet. 



Contraction is caused by the feet becomnighard from neg- 

 lect in not being taken care of. The shoer drives the shoe 

 on without properly preparing the foot. The quarters 

 turn in and draw together at the heel, and the horse, as a 

 consequence, becomes lame and cannot travel. What is the 

 remedy for this defect ? Some farriers claim that the horse 



Fig. 74— Shoe for Contracted Feet. 



should be turned out in marshy ground until the hoof be- 

 comes softened, Avhen the difficulty will disappear. This 

 plan is generally impracticable, as the owner of the hoi'se 

 wants to use him. 



Others say the shoe should be made wide and nailed on 

 while the hoof is spread with a pair of tongs. Still others 

 use wide shoes and pretend to believe that contractions can 



