SHOEING AND CARE OF THE FEET. 



311 



III. Where the Bearing Should Rest. 

 In paring the foot for the shoe, the wall wants to receive the most of 

 the bearing, though the sole near the wall can take some of it. The 

 heels ought to be lowered the least trifle to reduce their bearing, and 

 should be opened about half way up to the hair in a V shaped manner to 

 allow the foot to expand a little every time the weight comes on it, so as 

 to avoid as much as possible the evil of contraction, which, as already 

 stated, is the inevitable accompaniment, more or less, of shoeing in all 

 cases. If there are any ragged edires on the frog, trim them off, other- 

 wise the frog need not be touched. 



IV. Weight of Shoes and How to Pit Them. 



In making the shoe it should be perfectly level on the bearing surface, 

 beveled off gently all around from about three-eighths of an inch from 

 the outside to the inside, so as to avoid giving any bearing on the sole, 

 and to facilitate the removal of any gravel that might work in between 

 the shoe and sole. Let it be of good length, and of a weight to suit the 

 horse ; some require heavy and some light 

 shoes. Fore shoes vary in weight from 

 ten to twenty ounces ; hind ones, from 

 eight to twelve ounces. On the 

 ground surface it is well to bevel towards 

 the centre, thereby widening the web 

 which protects the sole from bruises and 

 pricking from nails. Let the toe be 

 rounded off for driving horses to prevent 



as their work will allow. The driving 

 horse is usually better on a plain shoe, 

 while the draft horse needs calks to give 

 him a purchase on the ground so as to 

 pull heavy loads. The hind shoes are 

 best with a small toe calk, and the heels 

 raised by leaving the shoe a little thicker 

 to level it up to the toe calk. 



Shoeing for diseased feet, (pathalogi- 

 cal shoeing, ) has been treated on in con- 

 nection with the diseases of the feet in 

 the two preceding chapters. 



In finishing off a foot with the rasp, after shoeing, the wall should not 

 be rasped above the nail clinches, as it destroys the oily, unctious cover- 

 ing that is there to keep the fibers tough and pliable, and prevent sand 

 crack. 



THE CRAMPON, TO PREVENT HORSES 

 SLIPPIMG IN FROSTY WEATHER. 



