64 HORSES AND RIDING. 



The outside upper part of a horse's foot is called 

 the wall, and the underneath part, where it is hard, is 

 called the sole ; and where it is soft is called the frog. 



It is necessary that when the horse is shod the 

 weight of the horse should rest on the wall of his foot, 

 and not on the sole, when the horse is standing on 

 hard ground. When the horse is on soft ground the 

 foot sinks in, so that the weight rests on the whole 

 of the foot, and not solely on that part to which the 

 shoe is affixed ; but if, when the whole weight of the 

 horse rests on the shoe, any part of the sole of the 

 horse rests on the shoe, then the horse is liable to 

 get corns. The precaution, therefore, to be taken in 

 shoeing a horse is to make the shoe so that none of 

 the shoe presses on the sole when it is first put on, 

 and also to make it so that there is no likelihood as 

 time goes on and the horse wears the shoe, of its 

 getting to press on the sole. 



Now, the first of these two points blacksmiths 

 generally guard against, but the second precaution 

 they often neglect and do not pay attention to it ; 

 that is, they put the shoe on so that it is right at 

 the time of shoeing, but do not make it so that it 

 will be right when the horse has had it on a fort- 

 night or three weeks. This will be best shown by 

 a diagram which I subjoin. 



Foot A shows the shape of the horse's hoof when 

 the shoe is put on, and foot b is the same hoof 

 after it has grown longer. 



