188 THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 



against elevating the heels with calkins, preferring an 

 ice-nail, admitting, however, that sharp calkins were 

 oftentimes nsed judiciously in hilly countries. 



Lord Pembroke urged the necessity of the shoe being 

 narrower at the heel than elsewhere, which prevented 

 stones or other injurious weapons lodging in the foot, 

 and by its pressure causing lameness ; that it should 

 be as light as possible, but not thin as to bend, which 

 would depend upon the quality of the iron ; that both 

 surfaces of the shoe should be flat ; and that three, 

 and at the most four nails, were sufficient ; these were 

 placed at the side i the toe was cut square and short ; 

 the fore and hinder-feet are to be shod alike, except 

 when the ground is hilly, when the shoes of the hinder- 

 feet must be a little turned up behind. Farriers who 

 are too lazy to make the shoe fit the foot, but place it 

 on hot, deserve the severest censure. 



Mr. Lawrence speaks in favour of the French method 

 of driving the nails into shoes, which is in an oblique 

 direction, so that the points come out about three-quar- 

 ters of an inch above the shoe ; by this method it is 

 held firmer than by the English method, which is to 

 drive the nail as high as possible up the wall, and this 

 leaves but a small portion to clench and secure the 

 shoe. 



The preparation of the foot, and the operation 

 of shoeing, should be performed as follows : — 



1 . In taking off" the old shoe it is always necessary, 

 (although seldom done,) to raise the clenched portion 

 of the nails, for by such neglect the nail-holes become 

 considerably enlarged, and not unfrequently pieces 

 of the crust are torn off; this must naturally weaken 

 the hold of the new nails, and perhaps injure the foot 

 in other ways. 



2. The edges of the crust must then be rasped to 



