BREEDS OF HORSES 117 



permit the passage of a foot pick. Branches of the shoe must be of 

 equal length. 



In fitting a shoe to a hoof of regular form we follow the form 

 of the hoof, but in base-wide and base-narrow hoofs, which are of 

 irregular form, we must pay attention not only to the form of the 

 hoof, but also to the direction of the pasterns and the consequent 

 distribution of weight in the hoof, because where the most weight 

 falls the surface of support of the foot must be widened, and where 

 the least weight falls (opposite side of the hoof) the surface of sup- 

 port should be narrowed. In this way the improper distribution of 

 weight within the hoof is evenly distributed over the surface of 

 support. 



A Shoe for a Base-Wide Hoof. This shoe should be fitted full on 

 the inner side of the foot and fitted close on the outer side, because 

 the inner side bears the most weight. The nails in the outer branch 

 are placed well back, but in the inner branch are crowded forward 

 toward the toe. 



A Shoe for a Base-Narrow Hoof. This shoe should be just the 

 reverse of the preceding. The outer branch should be somewhat 

 longer than the inner. 



A Shoe for an Acute-Angled Hoof. This shoe should be long 

 in the branches, because most of the weight falls in the posterior 

 half of the foot. The support in front should be diminished either 

 by turning the shoe up at the toe or by beveling it under the toe. 



A Shoe for a Stumpy Hoof. This shoe should be short in the 

 branches, and for pronounced cases should increase the support of 

 the toe, where the most of the weight falls, by being beveled down- 

 ward and forward. 



In many cases, especially in the hoofs of draft horses that stand 

 very close together, the coronet of the outer quarter is found to stand 

 out beyond the lower border of the quarter. In such cases the outer 

 branch of the shoe from the last nail back must be fitted so full 

 that an imaginary perpendicular dropped from the coronet will just 

 meet the outer border of the shoe. The inner branch, on the other 

 hand, must be fitted as close as possible. The principal thought 

 should be to set the new shoe farther toward the more strongly worn 

 side. Such a practice will render unnecessary the widespread and 

 popular fad of giving the outer quarter and heel calk of hind shoes 

 an extreme outward bend. Care should be taken, however, that in 

 fitting the shoe full at the quarter the bearing surface of the hoof at 

 the quarter be not left unsupported or incompletely covered, to be 

 pinched and squeezed inward against the frog. This will be obviated, 

 by making the outer branch of the shoe sufficiently wide and punch- 

 ing it so coarse that the nails will fall upon the white line. 



Hot Fitting. Few farriers have either the time or the skill 

 necessary to so adjust a cold shoe to the hoof that it will fit, as we 

 say, air-tight. Though the opponents of hot fitting draw a lurid pic- 

 ture of the direful consequences of applying a hot shoe to the hoof, 

 it is only the abuse of the practice that is to be condemned. If a 



