120 SCIKNTIFIC HORSESHOEING. 



the force of landing will pass throuij;li the hall of the foot on 

 the risfht axis of tlio loi', without iniurv to the hack tendons. 

 Three nails on each side of shoe ()p])osite eacVi other will allow 

 tlie foot to expand equally on hoth quarters and thus avoid the 

 danjrer of foot and leff soreness. It should he home in mind 

 that pressure from the shoe must he kept ^>i\' around the front 

 part of the foot to prevent toe soreness, as tlie hoof grows more 

 at tlie toe than at the cjuarters. 



Some liorses may I'cipiii'c scoop-toe shoes, or shoes concaved 

 on the ground surface, others, small heel calks ; hut these points, 

 together with weight of shoes, etc., must hv adjusted to suit the 

 stride and ijait of the horse. When starting trotting horses in 

 their spring work after a long winter's rest, it is advisahle in 

 some cases to have their front shoes weigh four or iive ounces 

 more than the shoes worn in the fall races, as these heavier shoes 

 will assist them in getting up more quickly to their stride. Reset 

 the shoes every ten or fifteen days, so that the foot may be kept 

 level and balanced, and at all times fit the shoes snug around 

 the hoof to avoid striking them oft' by an overreach. 



Another point worthy of note in this connection is, that by 

 watching the action of a trotting horse an<l attentively listening 

 to the sound of each footfall, the rhythm of their movement may 

 be observed and anv irregularitv detected. Thus, if the action 

 is balanced the succession of steps will fall in regular 1-2—3-4 

 time, but if any irregular interval occurs — either slower or faster 

 — there is a dift'erence in the length of stride. Where there is 

 a long interval, the stride of the slow-moving limb is longer 

 than its fellows, and where there is a short interval, the stride 

 of the quick-moving limb is shorter than the others. These 

 irregularities may be due to some inequality of the foot — a high 

 heel or short toe will cause an unbalanced gait or an unequal 

 stride. A foot shorter on the ground surface — that is, with 

 short toes — is shorter in stride and quicker in its fall than the 

 others. If the front feet are upon the same angle, same height 



