SHOEING. '" '~ 18t 



runninj^ round the outer edge, just under the plain surface, upon 

 which the crust bears. The principal use of this groove is to 

 receive the heads of the nails that secure the shoe, and prevent 

 their bending or breaking off; it is further useful in increasing 

 the hold of the shoe upon the ground, and should be carried 

 back to the heels. 



In fitting the shoe on the foot, it should never while red-hot 

 be burned into its place, as this would so heat the sensitive sole 

 as to produce a serious derangement of its parts ; but it may 

 with safety be touched lightly to the foot, that by a slight 

 burning it may indicate those parts where the foot needs paring; 

 indeed, it is necessary to pursue this course in order to make 

 the shoe so exactly fit the foot that there will be no danger of 

 its moving sufficiently to loosen the hold of the nails. The shoe 

 should be made with steel in front, this being sloped backwards 

 to a line running at right angles with the upper slope of the 

 hoof. Old shoes being always worn to about this form, new 

 ones should be so made, and the steel will prevent their being 

 unduly worn. 



The shoe having been so fitted that the foot exactly touches 

 it in every part, the next step is to nail it fast to the hoof. 

 Upon the number and situation of the nails which secure it 

 depends the amount of disturbance that the natural functions 

 of the foot are destined to sustain from the shoe. If the nails 

 are numerous, and placed back in the quarters and heels, no 

 form of shoe, however perfect, can save the foot from contrac- 

 tion and navicular disease. If, on the contrary, they are few, 

 and placed in the outside quarter and toe, leaving the inside 

 quarter and heels free to expand, no form of shoe is so bad that 

 it can, from defective form alone, produce contraction of th^ 

 foot. 



