374 ON THE ART OF SHOEING. 



ton or mouldering on the infide, to (land clear 

 of a falfe quarter, and thofe formed thickeft on 

 the infide, to prevent interfering, are very an- 

 cient inventions, and fufhciently known to far- 

 riers. 



I have faid, that interfering is ufually occa- 

 fioned by a preternatural turn or twift of the 

 pattern joint, which gives the toe an oblique 

 direction, either inward or outward ; or perhaps 

 the defect may not lie in the lower, but in the 

 upper extremity of the leg ; in this cafe, it 

 ought to be conhdered, that thofe meafures of 

 (hoeing, the aim of which is to give the foot a 

 flraight pofition upon the ground, muft at the 

 fame time inevitably expofe the ligaments to 

 unufual draining ; the confequences of which 

 may be much worfe than thofe of cutting or 

 knocking. Here follow, however, the bell di- 

 rections for (hoeing a horfe which interferes. 



A careful farrier always examines and notes 

 which branch of the old (hoe is mod worn, and 

 acts accordingly. When the toe is turned 

 outward, the (Irefs lies chiefly upon the inward 

 quarter, of courfe the inward quarter mud be 

 left untouched, and the thicknefs of the (hoe 

 on that fide increafed ; the external branch of 

 the (hoe being made thin, and that quarter of 

 the hoof alfo reduced in proportion. The 

 whole operation ought to be performed to fuch 

 a nicety, that the foot may bear equally upon 



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