PRACTICAL HORSESHOEING. 103^ 



dead subject than upon the living animal, as lias frequently 

 been done. Any one can attest to the pain and annoyance of 

 having the finger nail cut to the quick, and yet our suffering is 

 as naught to that of the horse who has undergone the same 

 operation. 



Before proceeding to dress the hoof, observations should be 

 taken from in front of as well as the rear of the horse, to ascer- 

 tain whether the foot is directly underneath the leg — that is, if 

 the center line of the foot is in the same vertical with the leg; 

 then from either side take notice of the vertical line, and 

 whether the upper and lower pasterns are on a line with the 

 front wall of the foot, when the horse stands on a level floor ; 

 that is, to see whether the leg tilts in or out. In either case the 

 hoof is not level on the ground surface. Equalize by sight as 

 acute as possible the wall, and determine how much should be 

 removed by the rasp and at what point or points, in order to 

 obtain the desired equal bearing on a level surface; then pro- 

 ceed to remove the superfluous horn. In dressing or paring the 

 feet, so as to obtain equal heights for the front feet and also for 

 the hind feet, the eye can not be trusted. Guesswork must now 

 cease ; mathematical accuracy is demanded. This can only be 

 obtained by resorting to the use of mathematical instruments, 

 and for this purpose the six-inch compass, foot and heel adjust- 

 ers, have been invented and adopted (pp. 94 and 95). The 

 method of procedure described on pages 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 

 shows the use of the instruments. The front feet being of the 

 same length from the top of the coronet to the ground tread, 

 and shoes of exactly equal weight being used, the stride of the 

 front feet will be of the same length at each footfall when up to 

 speed. The correct rule for the angles of the front feet to be 

 observed is, when the former stand at an angle of 48 degrees, 

 the latter should be at 50 degrees, for the reason that the hind 

 legs constitute the propelling powers of the horse. This has 

 been my never-failing rule 



