wearing qualities are not good. The ordinary 

 leather pad is a good thing, especially when 

 used with a bar-shoe. And often when a shoe 

 is worn until it is a couple of ounces too light 

 and the trainer doesn't w^ant to shoe the horse 

 new until after the race or workout, a heavy 

 leather pad w^ith proper packing underneath 

 will supply the deficiency in weight, and at a 

 trifling expense. The rubber pads, heavy, 

 medium and light racing are a boon to the 

 horse and his owner. If the horse is sore in 

 his feet they will give him immediate relief. 

 If he is lacking in knee or hock action you can 

 help him greatly with pads. If you want him 

 to carry a lot of weight you can put it on in 

 the shape of a rubber pad, and he will carr}^ it 

 much easier than he will half the amount in 

 steel or iron. The rubber pad is a protection 

 against bruises, punctures and concussions. 

 AMien the roads are rough and hard in the 

 spring or late fall the rubber horseshoe with 

 the steel frame is one of the best shoes that can 

 be used. It gives the same protection as the 

 rubber pad and has the added advantage of 

 greater wear for road use. . 



The greatest abuse, or neglect, that can be 

 given a horse's foot, and this applies to all 

 classes of horses, is to put a pad on, packed 

 with oakum and some good preparation and 

 leave it on for six weeks or two and sometimes 

 three months. No matter how well a foot is 

 packed sand and sediment are liable to get in 

 under the pad and form into hard lumps. And 

 when the pad is finally removed the mass of 

 oakum, sand and gravel all molded into one 



36 



