THE FOOT AND ITS TREATMENT 



when we consider the quality of the average 

 pasture-ground ! What is there to ordinary har- 

 ness or saddle work that is more exacting, or 

 likely to wear away the horn ? If you fear to try 

 it on the front feet, treat the hind after this plan ; 

 and if it seems too radical to leave the subject 

 barefoot all summer, take the early spring or the 

 winter snows for the experiment. 



The only means of keeping a shod horse safely 

 on his feet over the treacherous wet asphalt is 

 to either leave him barefoot, or to shoe him with 

 a rubber pad, which is a fairly faithful imitation 

 of the surface of his unshod foot. These rubbers 

 are acknowledged to be the only artificial means 

 to this end, yet we pay four dollars a pair for 

 them when Nature, if we give her a chance, will 

 provide them as good in every way, gratis ! 



When you shoe in full, use a narrow one, thin 

 at heel and flat on the foot surface, being very 

 carefully fitted there, fitting the foot like a second 

 edition of itself. Discard knife or buttress res- 

 olutely, and be sure that the rasp will remove 

 all that needs displacing, and usually a good deal 

 more if you don't watch the operator carefully. 

 This instrument will shorten the toe, level the 

 tread, and do the whole work, including rasping 



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