THE PRACTICAL HORSESHOER. 131 



good slioer can spread the hoof enough by drivhig the nails, 

 by leaving- the shoes full Avide and setting the nail close 

 against the inside of tlie nail-hole of the shoe each time he 

 puts one on. The best wa^^ to use a contracted foot is not 

 to shoe it at all. No man ever saw a contracted foot on a 

 horse that was never shod, nor ever will he. 



The frog of the foot of the horse should never have a 

 knife or anything touch it in shoeing, nor should a shoe 

 that takes the frog off of the ground ever be nailed on a foot. 

 The frog is the life of the foot, and it is the wedge that holds 

 the heels apart and causes the hoof to expand. 



The injudicious method of paring away the frog and sole 

 prevents the bars from touching the ground. The sensible' 

 plan is, first, to let the frog and sole acquire theii' natural 

 thickness. Second, lead the horse to a gravel meadow, 

 stuff' I he hollow of the foot with cow-dung or tar ointment, 

 and leave him in the meadow, renewing the dung or oint- 

 ment every day. 



Applications of oils and brutal spreading of the feet with 

 tongs never cured a contracted foot. 



1 will also say that a smith who is unable to fit a shoe to 

 a foot without burning it level should be driven out of tlie 

 trade. Burning a foot makes the hoof so hai^d tlmt a knife 

 cannot cut it when it gets cold, and the foot must necessa- 

 rily be ruined sooner or later. — By M. T. 



Contracted Feet. 



My plan for treating a hoof -bound foot is to first pare the 

 toe close but leave all I can across the quarters, and tlieu 

 fit the shoe nicely and put it on, driving the nails in the best 

 part of the foot. Six nails Avill do. I then take the rasp 

 and file off the front of the foot round but flat for a si^ace of 



