PREPARATION OF THE FOOT FOR SHOEING. 389 



is the too frequent cause of animals being troublesome to 

 shoe. 



When the shoe has been removed, the crust must be 

 rasped down in the edges ; and although a little roughness 

 may be exercised in this, yet there is little danger of injury 

 to the hoof, only that too much must not be removed, so as 

 to render it too thin. The hoof requires considerable 

 labour to pare, and this is of great importance to the com- 

 fort of the animal, as well as his safety on the road. It is 

 a part of the operation of shoeing which is too often done 

 in a hurried and slovenly manner. The master of the 

 horse or his groom ought to see that paring is thoroughly 

 performed ; because, if the sole is not well pared, its 

 elasticity will be destroyed, and thereby prevented from 

 descending ; and this will impair the functions of the foot, 

 and induce all the maladies to which it is liable ; namely, 

 the navicular disease, contraction, and corns, as well as in- 

 flammation, and all the maladies of which we have already 

 treated. Nothing is of more consequence than to prevent an 

 accumulation of the horny substance of the sole, which, it is 

 easy to see, must increase, because, being protected by the 

 shoe, it cannot get worn down as it would in a natural con- 

 dition. Sufficient thickness should be left so as to protect 

 the internal parts of the foot from injury, and enough to allow 

 the external sole to descend. This can easily be determined 

 by the strong pressure of the thumb on the sole, which 

 should yield slightly in all its breadth. This operation is 

 performed by what is termed a drawing-knife. 



It will happen that the horn of the sole becomes so hard 

 that it is removed with very great difficulty, in which case 

 it becomes necessary to soften it by heat. This is effected 

 by means of a flat iron heated, and drawn over the sole, and 

 even kept close to it for a little time. If the sole is thick, 



