338 

 CROSS 



/ ^ 



B 



^ 



FIRER 



m 



m 



SCIENTIFIC HORSESHOEING. 



CROSS-FIRING. 



IB 

 lA 



Probably no infirmity of action impedes the 

 gate of the trotting and pacing horse, causing 

 him to become discouraged and leg weary, and 

 thus condemning him as wanting in race horse 

 courage, than tlie vicious liabit of cross-firing. 

 This drawing shows very plainly the foot-prints 

 of the horse that cross-fires with the right hind 

 limb and foot. Letter A indicates the front 

 foot-print, while B shows the hind foot-print. 



In order to determine the extent of cross- 

 firing, the studious farrier should have the 

 horse speed on a level dirt road or track, and 

 then accurately measure the foot-prints with a 

 tape line, in order to ascertain the stride of the 

 front and hind feet. To his surprise, this dia- 

 gram on the ground will disclose the fact that 

 the cross-firing hind limb and foot will make a 

 stride from three to six inches sliorter tlian 

 that of the opposite hind limb and foot ; and, 

 furthermore, this instructive diagram will show 

 that the stride of the left front foot will be from 

 three to six inches shorter in the stride than 

 the rio-ht front foot. 



In all cases of this kind, the front feet sliould 

 be shod with shoes of equal weight. Then to 

 the shorter striding front hoof apply the stick- 

 fast toe weiglit, one ounce to the inch ; so that 

 six inches shortness of stride requires six ounces 

 in the toe weight. 



Then pare the cross-firing hind foot, as de- 

 scribed on page 260, and shoe the same with 

 the cross-firing pattern, as illustrated in figures 

 1G5 and 166, on the same page of my "sixth" 



