162 THE PRACTICAL HORSESHOER. 



to move, the wide or lieav}^ side of the shoe, being* on the 

 inside, lias a tendency to throw his feet or ankles apart. — 

 By J. J. 



Fitting Shoes, Curing Overreaching and hiterfering. 



I took two preminnis in Indiana for horseshoeing-, and 

 therefore your readers may be interested in my methods 

 of doing such Avork. 



I first pare the hoof level, then fit the shoe to the hoof 

 cold. If the horse is one that loses shoes easily, I drive the 

 nails wedg-e shape, turning* the points of the two toe 

 nails toward the heel and the points of the heel nails to 

 the toe. This makes a very strong- job. If the horse 

 interferes I rasp the outside of the hoof a very little low- 

 er than the inside and never turn the inside calk under 

 the hoof as many smiths do to stop interfering-. 



For overreaching- 1 pare the heel of the front hoof the 

 lowest, and make the heel of the shoes thin and the toe thick. 

 The hind shoe should have a thin toe and a thick heel, leav- 

 ing- the hoof liig-ll at the heel and turning* the toe all it will 

 bear. This will cure the worst cases. I think g'ood nails 

 are very essential to g-ood shoeing*. The main object of the 

 smith should be to g*et the shoe fitted level and flat on 

 the foot before the nails are driven. It will not answer 

 to depend on the nails drawing* the shoe to the hoof. — By 

 J.C. D. 



Shoeing to Prevent Interfering. 



The majorit^^ of horses strike Avitli the eclg*e of the 

 shoe or clinches, usually between the toe and heel nail. 

 They do not strike with the heel calk, as a great many 

 slioers think. It is only occasionally that a horse is 

 found that strikes with the heel calk. Very few horses 

 have a natural tendency to strike. The habit is usually 



