SHOEING. 549 



♦ 

 and when the latter is allowed to grow down so as to rest 

 upon the ground an injurious pressure is brought to bear 

 upon this bone, and its connection with the other bones and 

 the large flexor tendon of the joint. From this cause serious 

 diseases have. arisen, baffling the skill of the best veterinary 

 physicians to detect and remedy. 



• CHANGING THE SHOES. 



The great fault in all this matter of shoeing is one for* 

 which the farmer is chiefly to blame; namely, neglect to 

 change the shoes. This neglect more seriously affects young 

 horses than older ones, as the feet of the former grow faster, 

 and are more soft and tender; but any horse's hoof soon 

 grows too large for the shoe, and after a time extends so 

 much that the nails of the shoe begin to draw the hoof to- 

 gether, and from this cause arises a majority of cases of con- 

 traction of the hoof, or narrow heel. Besides, the water so 

 constantly between the shoe and the hoof causes the shoe to 

 rust, and the action of the iron-rust, thus confined, is very 

 destructive to the hoof, and produces a species of decay 

 known as the hoof-rot and pumiced feet, already described 

 in this chapter. 



THE TIME OF WEARING. 



The length of time that shoes may be worn without in- 

 jury varies with different horses. Horses with soft or pum- 

 iced feet should not wear them longer than forty or forty-five 

 days ; those of six or seven years of age, when their feet are 

 good, may wear them for sixty or seventy days; and old 

 horses, if their feet have never been injured, may keep them 

 on for three months — the extreme length of time in any 

 case. Young horses with their first shoes should not wear 

 them longer than forty days. • 



The injuries incurred by wearing the shoes before the feet 

 have become fully formed, or have attained their full size 

 and hardness, are many. Colts should have on shoes but a 

 little part of the year. Nor should the colt be shod at all 

 until he is at least three years old, and even this- is earlier 



