SHOEING COLTS. 103 



do, but why don't you use your knowledge before 

 you are in trouble ? 



Changes in Colt's Gait. 

 The changes that take place in a colt's gait, 

 after being shod, are due, to a great extent, to 

 the abnormal changes that the structure of the 

 foot often has to undergo, changes that are not 

 due to the ignorance of the persons in charge so 

 much as to the carelessless. In a natural foot, the 

 sole is perfectly flat, the frog, the bars and 

 the sole all have an ecjual bearing upon the 

 ground. If we take off just enough of the 

 wall to get a level bearing surface for the shoe, 

 and then apply a thin strip of steel, the thickness 

 not to exceed the amount of wall we have taken 

 off, we will shoe according to nature, or as near as 

 possible to nature ; of course it is to be understood 

 that the bars, sole and frog are left intact. But 

 here is the general procedure : the sole is carved 

 out, the bars are also cut out, and the frog is cut 

 away and shaped up, then a shoe is applied that is 

 usually from a quarter to a half inch thick. The 

 moment this shoe is applied, the sole, frog and 

 bars are robbed of their functions as weight car- 

 riers and concussion destroyers, they dry out and 

 become atrophied, and as hard as a stone. The 

 colt is worked, and goes well for the time being, 

 but after a few weeks he shows signs of going 

 rather short gaited, does not extend himself as he 

 should, or as he did when first shod. Again he is 



