SHOEING AND CARE OF THE FEET. 



313 



Side view of a Fore Hoof shod so as to quicken the 

 action in a forger. Note the short shoe, heel calks in- 

 clined forward to the rolled toe. 



In constructing the floor of the stall 

 the health and comfort of its occupant 

 ill also be promoted, if care is taken 

 to avoid having his fore feet 

 rest upon a higher level than 

 his hind feet. The op- 

 posite practice, that of 

 building the stall floor 

 to slope from the man- 

 ger backwards, is too 

 often resorted to for the 

 purpose of securing 

 surface drainage ; but 

 it is a blunder to do 

 this. When in the open 

 field and free to choose 



Side view of a Short-toed Hind Hoof of a Forger, shod to slow 

 the action and to prevent injury to the fore heels by the toe of 

 the hind shoe. Note the elevation of the short toe by means of a 

 toe calk and the projection of the toe beyond the shoe. When 

 such a hoof has grown more toe, the toe calk can be dispensed 

 with and the shoe set farther forward. 



Side view of Hoof and Shoe. Note the straight toe, weak 

 ring formation running parallel to the coronet, clinches 

 low down, and on a level, length of the shoe, and the under 

 bevel of the toe and heel. 



his ground, the horse will se- 

 lect for a rest a gentle slope on 

 which he will stand 

 with his fore feet 

 resting on a lower 

 level than that oc- 

 cupied by his hind 

 feet. It is the po- 

 sition in which 

 there is least strain 

 upon the back mus- 

 cles of the foot and 

 leg while standing 

 — the one in which 

 the horse rests 

 easiest. 



