540 AMEEICAN FAEMER'S HORSE BOOK. 



tained there, and would bruise the sole and be productive 

 of injury; but when the shoe is properly beveled 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 so expand the 

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

 would receive if it come on the ground with the first and 

 full shock of the weight. \ 



" The nail-holes are, on the ground side, placed so 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 

 the direction inward, resembling that of the crust itself, and 

 have firmer hold, while the strain upon them in the common 

 shoe is altogether prevented ; and the weight of the horse 

 being thrown on a flat surface, contraction is not so likely 

 to be produced. 



" The smith sometimes objects to the use of this shoe on 

 account of its not being so easily formed as one composed 

 of a bar of iron, either flat or a little beveled. It likewise 

 occupies more time in forging ; but these objections would 

 vanish when the owner of the horse declared that he would 

 have him shod elsewhere, or when he consented — as in justice 

 he should — to pay somewhat more for a shoe that required 

 better workmanship and a longer time in construction. 



" It is expedient not only that the foot and ground surface 

 of the shoe should be most accurately level, but that the crust 

 should be exactly smoothed and fitted to the shoe. Much 

 skill and time are necessary to do this perfectly with the 

 drawing-knife. The smith has adopted a method of more 

 quickly and more accurately adapting the shoe to the foot. 

 He pares the crust as level as he can, and then he brings the 

 shoe to a heat, somewhat below a red heat, and applies it to 



