THE PRACTICAL HORSESHOER. 139 



into the fissures of the frog- ; open the central frog-^fissure a 

 little, from base to point, the object being to cause expan- 

 sion to take place througli the center of the hoof. 



Now for the shoe ; the best is a common convex shoe, 

 with even bearing- alike on wall and sole, extending- one- 

 half over the hoof. The outside of the shoe should extend 

 no farther out than the wall. Bevel the heels of the slioe 

 next to the wall outward from the heel nail hole out. Don't 

 have a short shoe, but let it be long', and remen:iber that 

 most stable floors slant backward, and an elevation of the 

 heels will make the horse stand more at ease. When the 

 shoe is ready nail it on the foot with as small nails as pos- 

 sible. Don't draw up very tight, nor pare the sole. Use 

 the poultice nig-ht and day if possible, and if in a short 

 time the horse is not better, take off the shoe and examine 

 to see where the trouble lies. Don't permit the owner of the 

 horse to keep the shoes on more than four weeks, and a less 

 time would be better. 



This is the way I treat contracted feet, and I have good 

 success. Try it and vou will find it makes a vast difference 

 in the travel of the horse.— By Rab. 



Contracted Feet Should be Kept Moist. 



I will now give you my plan for shoeing ahorse with con- 

 tracted feet. If the feet are badly contracted I pare the 

 soles very thin to make the feet spread easily, and fit the 

 shoes beveled toward the outside edge from the last nail 

 hole to the end of the heel. Before the shoe is nailed on, a 

 small sponge is placed on the sole and ^covered with a piece 

 of leather, which is nailed on with the shoe. Several small 

 holes may be made in the leather for the admission of moist- 

 ure. 



It is of great importance to. keep the feet moist, so that 



