214: THE PRACTICAL HORSESHOER. 



after being" driven three miles on a hard road and put in 

 the stable over nig-ht, could hardly get out of the stable 

 again. After this shoe had been applied the horse was 

 driv^en thirty miles on a hard road, put in stable over night, 

 and the next morning came out as free f mm soreness as 

 when he was put in. 



,Drop sole has other causes besides those I have men- 

 tioned . Springing the shoe off at the heels and breaking 

 down the quarters will also cause drop sole on heavy 

 draught horses that have low, broad heels. — By J. E. M. 



Shoeing to Correct Forging. 



The difference in weight and gait of horses requires some 

 slight difference in the method of shoeing with regard to 

 the weight and length of shoe to be used. Some horses can 

 carry a two-pound shoe quite conveniently, while an equal 

 weight would tell ver^^ materially upon other horses after 

 a few miles of travel. It is noticed that speeding horses often- 

 times have the fault of forging more or less. The continual 

 disagreeable sound that is heard when speeding is anything 

 but satisfactory to drivers' ears, and the resistance to the 

 forward movement of the foot by the blow must, of course, 

 suddenly check the forward movement of the limb. The 

 heels of a horse that are battered and scarified after a 

 severe drive cannot but engage the attention of the owner, 

 if present. Some assert that it is impossible to stop a horse 

 from forging- when badl}^ addicted to the habit. This opin- 

 ion, however, is not altogether accepted b^^ horsemen, and 

 every possible means that can be employed in the limit 

 ed sphere of shoeing is brought to bear on the case, so that, 

 if possible, the fault may be remedied. 



The close attention of the driver to the planting of the 

 foot shows that if the front foot could be caused to slightly 

 lengthen the stride the forging would cease. Therefore 

 take the practical observation of the driver and make use 



