36 RATIONAL HORSE-SHOEING. 



STUMBLING HORSES. 



This annoyance is frequently caused by 

 undue use of the toe, when the heel is lame 

 and sore from contraction and corns. When 

 the horse has the frog well on the ground and 

 uses his heel without shrinking he is not apt 

 to stumble. 



TO INCREASE COMFORT. 



In dry weather, or when a horse with a 

 hard, lifeless hoof is shod with the Good- 

 enough shoe, and shrinks from the unaccus- 

 tomed pressure of the frog on the ground, 

 nothing is so grateful to his feet as cold water. 

 The hose turned on them is a delicious bath; 

 or if he can stand for an hour in a wet place, 

 or in a running brook, he will get infinite com- 

 fort from it. We have sometimes rapidly 

 assisted the cure of contraction, in the city, by 

 manufacturing a country brook-bottom in 

 this simple way : Put half a bushel of peb- 

 bles into a stout tub, with or without some 

 sand, let them cover the bottom to the depth of 

 two or three inches, pour on water and you 

 have a good imitation of a mountain brook. 



