128 SCIENTIFIC HOKSESHOEING. 



and balanced so as to restore frog pressure, when the latter 

 speedily recovers its lost characteristics and, again, in a healthy 

 condition, gradually and naturally accomplishes one of the very 

 purposes for which it was put there. 



However, there may be cases whereby sudden frog pressure 

 might occasion soreness for the time being, when it is still hard 

 and dry, or when a horse has worn shoes for a long time, having 

 thick, high heels ; but by leveling the frog on a line with the 

 hoof when preparing the foot to its proper bearing angle as di- 

 rected this disorder is soon remedied. 



Proportions of the Hoof. — It is apparent from the anatomy 

 of the foot that there is a fixed limit beyond which the growth of 

 the hoof should not proceed, though this growth is, in itself, con- 

 stant or indefinite, enlarging the base of the hoof as it proceeds. 

 In a natural, unshod state, attrition or wear by the strain of the 

 animal's mere weight is sufiicient to keep the hoof in such size 

 and condition that'the balancing of the body is properly distrib- 

 uted upon the digital regions, thus obviating the impairment 

 and lameness which result from improper shoeing, as well as the 

 premature breaking down of horses through the overgrowth 

 and unbalancing of their hoofs. 



No definite rate can be assigned to the growth of the hoof, 

 as some develop more rapidly than others and in different parts, 

 though it is claimed by some writers that it requires a year to 

 renew a complete wall. The toes of the fore feet and the heels 

 of the hind feet are relatively the thickest and strongest parts 

 of the wall, and consequently the growths there are more marked 

 than at the quarters. In a naturally well-proportioned horse the 

 ground tread of the fore feet is longer from heel to toe by from 

 f in. to 1 in. than across the quarters, and in the hind feet from 

 11 in. to IJ in. 



These is no use in mincing matters for the more one knows 

 about shoeing, the more he knows that the common mode of 



