264 PRACTICAL SHOEING 



economy, as your horses will work better if 

 always well looked after by a capable smith, than 

 if you go to the opposite extreme and allow un- 

 reasonably long hoofs which require an enormous 

 amount of paring, in some cases varying from 

 two inches to as much as six inches, or even 

 more. 



The man who owns horses frequently shod — 

 say once every month — will probably be careful 

 to have their feet well washed, will prefer good 

 straw of a night to sawdust or peat-moss, and 

 will always see that his horse's feet are well 

 cared for in every respect. The pick will be 

 used to clean them out, and directly they show 

 any sign of being odoriferous and to develop 

 " thrush," they will be dressed with good thrush- 

 dressing, such as the one I give under that 

 heading, as being one of many useful receipts for 

 common diseases. 



The neglectful groom or owner is careless 

 about hoof-dressing and dirt on the outside of 

 his horse's hoofs, and allows dirt to become en- 

 crusted in such a manner that it is bound to 

 cause ill-health and to give the painstaking smith 

 unnecessary trouble if he wishes a horse so 

 neglected to trot soundly. 



In the daytime, of course, a horse ought not to 

 stand on anything in the shape of bedding, and 

 all droppings should be removed. 



Stuffing hoofs with cow-dung is most popular, 

 and there are so many advocates for this method 

 of keeping the feet cool and healthy that I hardly 

 like to suggest that, in my opinion, it is unneces- 



