PRACTICAL HORSESHOEING. 83 



Securing the Levels. — In the foot itself, when the weight 

 is borne unevenly, the lowest part receives an undue share ; the 

 pressure retards the growth and free play of the parts, and the 

 foot in consequence, becomes, weakened distorted and deformed. 

 In the limb, deflected as it is by an uneven basis, from the 

 ground surface to its union with the trunk, the incidence of the 

 weight is imposed unequally, and bones and tendons mutually 

 suffer from the strain. 



The wall, then, must be perfectly level, that is, no more is 

 to be taken from one side than from the other, and this is deter- 

 mined by exact measurements with compass at opposite points 

 all around the hoof, indicated by the lines in Fig. 23, from cor- 

 onet to ground surface, and having same agree. Details are 

 fully given in connection with the use of the foot adjuster, for 

 which see Fig. 17. 



Maintaining the Balance. — Also the foot must be bal- 

 anced, or in other words, from a line drawn through the longer 

 axis of the frog the measurements to opposite points should be 

 the same on both sides of the hoof; this means simply that a 

 longitudinal line through the center of the frog, must at all 

 points, be the center of the foot or divide it in exact halves, as 

 in this way only will the force of the foot-fall be carried through 

 the center of the column of bones and be equally and naturally 

 distributed upon the supporting apparatus of bones and ten- 

 dons and the weight-bearing portions of the hoof. The active 

 principle of this indispensable arrangement is best illustrated in 

 Figs. 25 and 26, and is explained with the use of instruments, 

 in Fig. 17. 



Preparing the Hoof. — In thus leveling and balancing the 

 foot, my practice is to remove only such portions of the sole as 

 nature is about to cast off, that is, those portions which are ex- 



