188 



SCIENTIFIC HORSESHOEING. 



Fig. 79. felt swab. 



C, C, Inside of swab. B, B, Strap and 

 buckle. 



hoof, extending above the 

 coronet. This is espe- 

 cially valuable in hot, dry- 

 weather, when the hoof 

 loses the moisture from 

 the ground and becomes 

 brittle and hard. The 

 swab can be made of 

 thick felt, after the pat- 

 tern shown in Fig. 79. 



Abnormal Feet. — Before making an examination of faulty 

 limbs, it is proper to present the subject of abnormal feet. The 

 foot is in perfect poise when it is level and balanced, the heels 

 being of the same height, so that the horse lands upon both 

 alike, and springs from a level toe, after he has rolled over quar- 

 ters of the same height. The 

 heels must not be too high, nor 

 the toe too long, nor the hoot 

 out of proportion at the sides, 

 taking the median line of the 

 cleft of the frog as the basis 

 of measurement. 



Fig. 80 represents a per- 

 fect front foot. It is placed 

 properly under the carcass. 

 The vertical line, A, A, j)asse8 

 down through the axis of the 

 cannon bone, and reaches the 

 ground at the posterior angle 

 of the wall and bar. The line 

 B B intersects the line A A 

 at the center of the ankle 

 joint, and passes tlirough the 



Fig. 80. perfect fku.nt foot. 



A, A, Axial line of leg. E, B, 

 Axial line tlirough coffin bone. 



