FITTING AND APPLICATION OF SHOES. 73 



sliould we make tlie surface level and apply a level shoe 

 as ill Fig. 49? I believe that the ideal arrangement 

 would be to follow the line suggested by a worn foot or 

 a worn shoe, but it is difficult to carry out, and greater 

 exactness of fit is more readily obtained by two level 



/ 



Fig, 49.— Level shoe fitted to level foot-surface. 



surfaces. The ground surface of a shoe may, if neces- 

 sary, be altered to suit the outline of wear, whilst the 

 level foot-surface is preserved. Whatever form the far- 

 rier adopts, a shoe should rest equally throughout, and 

 the contact of foot and shoe should be exact over the 

 whole bearing surface. Assuming then that a properly 

 prepared foot presents a level surface, the fitting of shoes 

 becomes simple so long as the smith possesses manual 

 dexterity and follows the indications of common sense. 



There are two conditions to be fulfilled (1) to fit the 

 shoe to the plain surface of the foot, (2) to fit the shoe to 

 the circumference of the wall. Most amateurs judge 

 shoeing by the way a shoe follows the outline of the 

 hoof, but the practical man knows that it is equally 

 difficult and important to fit the surface. 



Outline Fitting. — A shoe is first compared with 

 the foot, it is then heated, and the heels cut off or turned 

 down to the proper length. Each limb of the shoe is 

 fitted to follow the outline of the wall, and it is necessary 

 to warn the novice than the inside and outside borders 

 of a foot are not alike. The outside is rounder and 

 fuller, and the shoe should be shaped to follow exactly 

 the direction of the wall. The outer border of a shoe 

 should always be as prominent as the outer border of the 

 hoof; it should never be within it. The inner border 

 must not protrude beyond the wall lest the opposite leg 

 "be struck. A well fitted shoe must be fitted full to the 



