THE FOOT AND SHOEING. 22$ 



Shoeing tools. — The shoeing hammer^ for driving nails and twisting off Shoeing 

 their points when driven through the hoof, has a very strong, curved ^Z^^^-" 

 claw for this purpose. The make of this claw is of importance ; it must ^^(rejna- 

 be able to grip and easily twist off the point of the nail, which may, by a hammer, 

 sudden movement of the horse, wound the smith's leg unless bent over 

 or removed. 



The Buffer^ made of steel about 5 and a half inches long, has a blunt The 

 chisel at one end for cutting " clenches," and a point at the other for buffer, 

 punching out " stubs," or broken nails. 



The Rasp, three-quarter coarse cut and quarter file cut, should be The rasp, 

 sixteen inches long and of the best quality. Shorter rasps add to the 

 man's work and a level surface for the shoe is not so easily obtained by 

 their use. With a good rasp the smith can do nearly everything 

 required in the preparation of the foot for shoeing. 



The drawing knife has a curved blade with a bent-over end. It was The 

 designed to pare out the sole when that was considered a correct method, drawing 

 but its use is now limited to cutting off rags of horn and taking out knife, 

 small pieces of wall for the clips. Beyond this, in regularly shod feet it is 

 rarely necessary. 



Pincers, with wide opening, sharp jaws are used for levering off the Pincers, 

 shoe, drawing nails and to assist in clenching up. 



Overgroiun feet, such as may be found in batches of horses Over- 

 running unshod for long periods on soft soil, are lowered by special grown 

 hoof cutting pincers or a toeing knife. These are not required in *^^'- 

 regimental forges, but are most useful in hospitals, remount depots and 

 on service. 



The preparation of the foot for shoeing. — Presuming that the hoof is The 

 of normal proportions and regularly shod, the shoe is removed and as PJ^P^j^^" 

 much horn as has grown since the last shoeing is rasped off; the f^°" j° j. ^^ 

 comparative length of toe and heel being accurately preserved and the shoeing, 

 bearing surface for the reception of the new shoe kept quite level. Any 

 flakes of horn which are evidently just coming away from the sole 

 may be pulled out, and any markedly ragged pieces of frog cut off, 

 but no paring of the sole, or slicing of the frog, is permissible. 

 Properly prepared in this way, the frog of the unshod foot will be well 

 below the level of the sole, and when a shoe of moderate thickness is 

 fitted, will be in contact with, or very nearly in contact with, the ground. 

 Whether the frog of the newly shod foot actually touches the ground 

 or not naturally depends on the thickness of the shoe and in many 

 cases it is not possible to obtain this desideratum, till the shoe is part 

 worn. 



(b 10948) p 



