82 PRACTICAL HORSESHOEING. 



perforated by previous nails, as this only makes bad worse; 

 and care should be taken to direct each nail so accurately 

 that it may make its exit at the desired point in the face 

 of the wall at once. Careless or unskilful driving of the 

 nails necessitates their being withdrawn several times be- 

 fore they are properly implanted, and as each nail, how- 

 ever carefully it may be placed in the wall at the first at- 

 tempt, is a source of injury by splitting asunder and per- 

 forating the fibres, it follows that when several attempts 

 have to be made the injury is proportionately increased. 



A short thick hold of the wall is better than a long 

 thin one. If possible; no more horn should be included 

 within the grasp of the nail than is likely to be removed 

 at the following shoeing. By this means the wall is con- 

 stantly maintained sound. 



A foot allowed to grow strong in the manner I have 

 described, will suffer no inconvenience in having the nails 

 driven tightly into the shoe and hoof after they have been 

 placed in the wall. 



Where the hoof is thin, as at the quarters and heels 

 of the fore-foot, smaller and more slender nails must be, 

 used, and these must be less tightly driven. The toe 

 nails should be first hammered home firmly, then the 

 quarter and heel nails lightly. Every nail should form a 

 part of the shoe, and the head should barely project above 

 it ; when all are solidly disposed, they must be tightly 

 " drawn up " at the ends (the points having been twisted 

 off previously) by means of the hammer and pincers, using 

 the same graduated degree of force as in driving them 

 home. 



Conclusion of the Operation. — Nothing then remains 

 to be done but to bend down or " clench " the portion 

 of nail so drawn up on the face of the wall. This should 

 be accomplished by shortening the fragment to a proper 

 length by the rasp, so as to leave just enough to turn 



