THE FORM AND MANUFACTURE OF SHOES. 53 



as useful for bearing. Even when it is wider no harm is 

 done until the width is such as to afCord a lodgement for 

 stones, etc. , between the coucaye sole and the web of the 

 shoe. 



A thick shoe raises the foot from the ground and 

 thus removes the frog from bearing — a very decided 

 disadvantage. It also requires the larger sizes of nails 

 to fill up the deep nail holes, and very often renders the 

 direction of the nail holes a matter of some diiSculty. 



The width of a shoe may beneficially vary. It should 

 be widest at the toe, to afford increased surface of iron 

 where wear is greatest. It should be narrowest at the 

 heels, so as not to infringe upon the frog, nor yet to 

 protrude greatly beyond the level of the wall. The 

 thickness of a shoe should not vary, unless, perhaps, it 

 be reduced in the quarters. Heel and toe should, be of 

 the same thickness, so as to preserve a level bearing. 

 Excess of thickness at the toe puts a strain on the back 

 tendons, whilst excess at the heels- tends to straighten, 

 the pastern. 



The Surface of Shoes. — There are two surfaces 

 of the shoe which claim attention, one which is applied 

 to the foot, and another which rests on the ground. The 

 form of these surfaces may be varied greatly, but of 

 course the foot-surface presents much less necessity and 

 less opportunity for alterations than the ground-surface. 

 The foot-surface of a shoe must be formed in accordance 

 with the requirements of the horse's foot, and no other 

 consideration should be allowed to materially modify it. 

 The ground-surface may be altered to suit the tastes and 

 prejudices of the owner as well as the requirements of 

 the horse and the peculiarity of roadways. 



The Foot-Surface. — It is quite obvious that the 

 surface of the shoe upon which the hoof has to rest should 

 be regular and even ; that it should not consist of hills 

 and holes or grooves and ridges. I should not have 

 mentioned such a very evident matter, but that in large 

 towns, the cheaper and poorer classes of shoeing com- 

 monly possess this very fault. When shoes are made- 



