ON THE ART OF SHOEING. 375 



all parts of its circumference. To amend this 

 pofition, farriers have formerly made the inner 

 branch of the (hoe exceflive thick, and even 

 raifed it upon cramps ; which muff always have 

 very ill confequences, particularly as the horfe 

 interferes with the heel, and the mifchief is 

 done with the foot lifted up ; whence it fol- 

 lows, that the forced ftraight pofition on the 

 ground, is at laft of no confequence to the 

 main end. 



When the horfe is pigeon-toed, that is, turns 

 his toes inwards, the mode of fhoeing ufually 

 adopted, is juft the reverfe of the above. After 

 all, if any good can poffibly be done in thefe 

 cafes, it mud be from leaving nothing on the 

 inner fide, with which a horfe can ftrike him- 

 felf ; but with this view, an injudicious ope- 

 rator frequently reduces the hoof till it is irre- 

 coverably weakened, the horfe has an uneven 

 pofition upon the ground, and dill interferes. 



For hammer and pinch e r s, or over-reach- 

 ing, fhort fore-fhoes, and a reduction of the 

 toes of the hinder-feet, is the method directed ; 

 after which, and fuppofing the horfe can go 

 with his quarters expofed, he will mod proba- 

 bly ftill flrike his fore-heels with what you have 

 left of his hinder toes. 



I have never feen, or indeed at all confidered 

 the form of the ox's (hoe, fo am unable to 

 judge of the propriety of the following methods 

 given by Saint Bel. The ox is either (hod 



b b 4 with 



