SHOEING 97 



and should be pared if necessary to make them level 

 with the sole. The branches of the sole In the angle 

 between the bars and the wall of the quarters should 

 be kept a little lower than the wall, so as not to be 

 pressed upon by the Inner web of the shoe. 



As a general rule the frog should not be pared, but 

 any ragged or decayed parts should be cut off; and, 

 moreover. In some cases even the healthy frog should 

 be reduced In size. With some horses the frog is so 

 large and prominent that in its natural state it would 

 come in contact too forcibly with stones and other 

 sharp objects, and perhaps even with the smooth sur- 

 face of a hard road. The frog sometimes becomes 

 sore, because it plays too large a part in sustaining the 

 weight of the horse. Frog-pressure is beneficial, if 

 not essential; and it is one of the hard problems in 

 shoeing to give the horse enough frog-pressure, and 

 not too much. 



A much disputed point is this : Should the heels be 

 "opened out," according to the common practice of 

 farriers? Some authorities say. No. They declare that 

 the cutting of a notch at each side of the frog weakens 

 the bars, and tends to permit the heels to come to- 

 gether, instead of keeping them apart. But I am 

 inclined to think that the usual practice in this respect 

 IS right, and that the " opening out of the heels " tends 

 to prevent contraction. 



SEATING THE SHOfi 



Another disputed point is the advisability of trying 

 on the shoe while hot, or " seating it." Some authori- 



