166 THE PRACTICAL HORSESHOER. 



practical purposes). Leave the inside of the shoe, for some 

 leng-th, nearly straight if the horse is strong* limbed, and 

 leave the heels as wide as possible. This increases the area 

 of bearing, but if the backing strap in going down hill 

 draws his feet together it is essential that the inside heel 

 should be quite thin and carried out of the line of danger, 

 circumstances controllmg ni this point as in many otiiers. 

 Harden the inside of the toe calk and not the outside, thus 

 retaining the level of the shoe as long as possible. Horse- 

 shoeing allows of no set method. — Bij C. S. 



Interfering. 



My method is, in the first place, to find what part of the 

 hoof or the shoe comes in contact with the ankle. If the 

 hoof does not show any mark, take a piece of chalk oi' a 

 little tar and rub it on the ankle and start the horse. Let 

 the horse be examined carefuUv until the smith has assured 

 himself just what part of the hoof or shoe comes in contact 

 Avith the ankle.. If a horse strikes with the toe at the first 

 or second nail, sti-aighten the shoe at tjiat point and raise 

 the inside calk a little so as to throw the ankle outward. 

 If he strikes with the heel of the foot, straighten the shoe 

 from the second toe nail back to the heel and take off the 

 hoof at that point. 



Some horses do not come in contact with the shoe ; it is 

 the hoof that strikes. If a horse strikes with the heel calk 

 turn it under a little. Appl^^ the same methods with chalk 

 or tar with the fore foot. If the horse interferes with the 

 toe straighten that part of the shoe. If with the toe of the 

 hoof at about the first or second nail where they are 

 clinched, rasp the hoof away as much as it will bear, and 

 lay in the clinches so as to be sure the^^ will not work out, and 

 raise the inside heel calks as much as may be deemed best. 



