FITTING THE SHOE. 159 



Several years ago, Mr. W. Thacker invented a shoe 

 in which the nail-holes were punched in the centre of 

 the web, inclining outwards, so that the nails took a 

 very firm hold and came out low down, extending up- 

 wards not more than f inch, thereby diminishing the 

 risk of pricking the horse. The bevel of the ground 

 surface of the shoe protected the nail-heads. This is an 

 admirable system with feet that have plenty of horn. 



Fitting the Shoe to the Foot, As the old adage ex- 

 presses it, " the shoe should be made to fit the foot, 

 arid not the foot to fit the shoe." 



If practicable, the shoe should be fitted on at a red 

 heat and never cold. The advantages of the former 

 over the latter practice are as follows : 



1st. The shoe is more readily brought into the required 

 shape. 



2nd. Exact juxtaposition between the iron and the 

 hoof is obtained, with consequent increased security. 



3rd. The bearing surface of the hoof is rendered 

 impervious to the injurious action of water, by the fact 

 of its having been charred. 



4th. The heat renders the horn less liable to split on 

 the nails being driven. 



Putting on the Shoe. The nails should take a short 

 thick hold of the crust, and should not come higher up 

 on the crust than one inch from the lower margin. 



After the nails are driven, the rasp should not touch 

 the crust, except to file a little of the thin horn from 

 underneath the ends of the nails, so that the clenches, 

 when they are turned down, may be properly supported. 



Unless a horse is inclined to brush, the clenches 



