4l8 HORSE-TRAINING MADE EASY. 



cut away merely because the smith fancies it to 

 be too large. In wea,k feet, very little paring is 

 required ; the heels, however, require the nicest 

 care for their protection from injury in shaeing. 

 No fixed rules can be laid down for paring the 

 feet; that mus-t be determined by the nature and 

 condition of these appendages. 



APPLICATION OP THE SHOE TO THE FOOT. 



The shoe should be set as near the outer mar- 

 gin of the crust as possible; by so doing, we 

 have the crust as the main support of the foot, 

 as nature intended it should be. By setting the 

 shoe back a quarter or three-eighths of an inch 

 from the outer margin of the crust, as is often 

 done, at least one -half of the bearing surface 

 of the foot is destroyed. It is therefore weak- 

 ened in exact proportion as it is cut away, 

 besides greatly reducing the space for driving 

 the nails, thus rendering them more liable to do 

 injury, by being driven too close to the sensitive 

 structure, or by pricking the foot. The naila 

 should be pointed with great care, in order that 

 they may be driven with a greater degree of cer- 

 tainty. Eight nail-holes are usually punched in 

 the shoe ; but our experience teaches us that 

 injury is often prevented by leaving out the 

 quarter nail upon the inside of the foot. If it 

 should be thought necessary, it may be put in at 

 the toe instead. 



