THE PUTTING ON OF THE SHOE. 431 



It will also he apparent that the horn between the crust and the bar 

 should be carefully pared out. Every horseman has observed the relief 

 which is given to the animal lame with corns when this angle is well 

 thinned. This rehef, however, is often but temporary; for when the 

 horn grows again, and the shoe presses upon it, the torture of the horse is 

 renewed. 



The degree of paring to which the frog must be subjected will depend 

 on its prominence, and on the shape of the foot. The principle has already 

 been stated, that it must be left so far projecting and prominent, that it 

 shall be just within and above the lower surface of the shoe ; it will then 

 descend with the sole sufficiently to discharge the functions that have been 

 attributed to it. If it is lower, it will be bruised and injured ; if it is 

 higher, it cannot come in contact with the ground, and thus be enabled to 

 do its duty. The ragged parts must be removed, and especially those 

 occasioned by thrush, but the degree of paring must depend entirely on 

 the principle just stated. 



It appears, then, that the office of the smith requires some skill and judg- 

 ment in order to be properly discharged ; and the proprietor of horses will 

 find it his interest occasionally to visit the forge, and complain of the care- 

 less, or idle, or obstinate fellow, while he rewards by some trifling gratuity 

 the expert and dihgent workman. He should likewise remember that a 

 great deal more depends on the paring out of the foot than on the construc- 

 tion of the shoe ; that few shoes, except they press upon the sole, or are 

 made outrageously bad, will lame the horse ; but that he may be very easily 

 lamed from ignorant and improper paring out of the foot. 



THE PUTTING ON OP THE SHOE. 



The foot being thus prepared, the smith looks about for a shoe. He should 

 select one that as nearly as possible fits the foot, or may he easily altered 

 to the foot. He will sometimes, and especially if he is an idle and reckless 

 fellow, care little about this, for he can easily alter the foot to the shoe. 

 The toe-knife is a very convenient instrument for him, and plenty of horn 

 can be struck off with it, or removed by the rasp, in order to make the foot 

 as small as the shoe ; while he cares little, although by this destructive 

 method the crust is materially thinned where it should receive the nail, 

 and the danger of puncture and of pressure upon the sole is increased ; and 

 a foot so artificially diminished in size will soon grow over the shoe, to the 

 hazard of considerable or permanent lameness. 



While the horse is travelling, dirt and gravel are apt to insiuuate them- 

 selves between the web of the shoe and the sole. If the shoe were flat, 

 they would be permanently retained there, and would bruise the sole, and 

 be productive of injray ; but when the shoe is properly bevelled off, it is 

 scarcely possible for them to remain. They must be shaken out almost 

 every time that the foot comes in contact with the ground. 



The web of the shoe is likewise of that thickness that when the foot is 

 properly pared, the prominent part of the frog shall lie just within and 

 above its ground surface, so that in the descent of the sole the frog shall 

 come sufficiently on the ground to enable it to act as a wedge and to 

 expand the quarters, while it is defended from the wear and injury it would 

 receive if it came on the ground with the first and fall shock of the 

 weight. 



The nail-holes are, on the ground side, placed as near the outer edge of 

 the shoe as they can safely be, and brought out near the inner edge of the 

 seating. The nails thus take a direction inward, resembling that of the 

 cnxst itself, and have firmer hold, while the strain upon them in the 



