^4 THE ART OP HORSE-SHOEING. 



from thin, wide, old iron tyres they are "buckled" on 

 one surface, and to hide this the farrier puts that side to 

 the foot so that it is not noticed until it causes damage. 

 There are three or four forms of foot-surface adopted by 

 farriers, all of which have distinctive features, a.iid some 

 of which have very grave evils. There is the plain flat 

 surface, which is given to all narrow shoes, to liunting 

 shoes, and to .some heavier and wider shoes. So long as 



Fig. 32.— a level, flat teaiicg-siir face. 



the sole is htalthy and arched this is a very good form. 

 All liind shoes have a flat foot-surface, and most fore 

 shoes might have it with advantage. It utilizes tlie whole 

 -of the natural bearing surface, and must of necessity 

 afford a flrmer basis for the foot lo rest upon than a more 

 limited surface. The fore feet are not so constantly 

 arched in the sole as the hind. Sometimes they are flat 

 and occasionally convex. If a shoe be intended for use on 

 all feet — on feet with convex and flat soles as well as 

 those properly formed — a wide flat foot surface would 

 often cause injury by pressing unevenly upon the sole. 

 To avoid this injury in less than five per cent, of feet, 

 and to save the troiible of keeping in stock shoes of 

 different forms, the flat foot-surface of front shoos has 

 been replaced by a bevelled or ''seated" surface. 

 (Fig. 33.) 



