THE PRACTICAL HORSESHOER. - 215 



of it. It is ^^ ell understood in mechanics that accelerated mo- 

 mentum will carry a weight quite a distance. For instance, 

 a person not weighted, who can jump eight feet, can jump 

 nearly a foot farther with dumb-bells. This principle is ap- 

 plicable to a certain extent to the front limbs of the forging 

 horse. Let the toe of the shoe be heavy. Let the smith 

 use his own good judgment as to the weight. One shoe- 

 ing ma3' not suflice. Note the effect of the lirst experiment 

 and be goveinied by it in subsequent operations. 



Some smiths advocate a long shoe. By this means the 

 weight would be at the heels. If the extra weight is at the 

 toe on the shoe a neater job is made. Have the heels short 

 and beveled under, with a broad chamfer along- the quarter. 

 Make the chamfer while the shoe is hot. A slight tilings 

 makes it bright when cold. For fine work one inch back of 

 crust termination is amply sufficient for hoof bearings. 

 The shoe should be concaved on the bottom or heavily 

 chamfered. No nail heads should project out of the crease. 

 A front clip has its. advantages and disadvantages. It de- 

 pends very much upon the judgment of the shoer whether 

 it should be used or not. 



The hind shoes require to be as high as the circumstances 

 admit. The toe calk should be hot- filed of all projecting 

 and superfluous metal. If the evil is stopped b^^ having a 

 full toe, so much the better ; if not, regulate the toe by 

 hot-filing, and set the shoe back as little as the circum- 

 stances permit. Bear in mind as you set back the shoe 

 that you advance to a point of serious danger to the foot. 

 Round all the sharp corners of the heels of the front shoe. 

 When the clicking of the shoes is reilioved one annoyance 

 is overcome; but more frequently a more serious one re- 

 mains. To remove it has been the object of horseshoers 

 for many j^ears. The method here described is not guaran- 

 teed to be effective In all cases, but there are points in it 

 which are good. — By C. S, 



