THE FOOT AND SHOEING. 233 



drawn, and a fresh one re-driven. Their ductiHty is tested by fixing them 

 in a vice and twisting them, corkscrew fashion, or bending them to and 

 fro a couple of times, while their stiffness is demonstrated by supporting 

 the ends, and suspending a weight from the shank. 



Nails are described as " rose-headed " and " countersunk "; rose-headed Varieties 

 nails are those in which the head of the nail does not enter the nail hole. ° "^' ^' 

 The pattern is no longer used in England for horse-shoes, but still survives 

 in southern Europe and the East generally. 



Countersunk nails are either " half" or " full " counter, the heads of the 

 latter being the bigger and wider. The head of this pattern being com- 

 pletely embedded in the web, gives a very firm attachment, and if the 

 holes correspond actually they cannot wear loose. 



The number of nails which should be used to secure the shoe is " as Number 

 few as possible." Every nail cuts through a small amount of moist, tough ^"" ^}^^ 

 horn, which, below its tract, becomes dry and brittle. As the horn grows 

 forwards, the nails of each new shoeing make fresh holes just above and 

 behind the former ones, and increase the brittle area ; the fewer nails then, 

 the better. The size of nails used should be proportionate to the shoe, 

 and no larger than necessary, for the broader the shank, the more horn it 

 cuts. For similar reasons, nails should not be driven higher than will 

 give a secure hold. These rules must be given a common-sense interpre- 

 tation. A horse losing a shoe on a journey is likely to do much more 

 harm to his unprotected foot than would be caused by an extra nail, or a 

 little high driving, and both may be necessary in particular instances, of 

 which an average smith is a competent judge. 



The number of nail holes in a shoe bears no particular relation to the Number of 

 number of nails necessary to hold it securely. In many machine-made "^'^ holes, 

 shoes a large number of holes are punched so that the best positions may 

 be chosen for driving the nails. 



The Making of the Shoe. Forge Tools and their Uses. 



Tke anvil has a square body, with a sharp rounded "beak." It The anvil, 

 should be so heavy and solidly fixed that a strong blow on the beak will 

 not move it. On the body, metal is placed for " welding" and " drawing" 

 into bar ; on the beak the drawn-out bar is " turned " to shoe-shape. On 

 the surface of the body are two holes, the larger for the reception of the 

 shanks of the " tool " and ^-round " cutter," and the smaller for a 

 " nail-cutter." 



The fire to7igs have long handles and when new, very long javvs. In The fire 

 practice the jaws vary in length as the metal gets burned away in use. tongs. 



