276 



TRAINING THE TROTTING HORSE. 



in the cuts, ranging in weiglit from say, eight to four- 

 teen ounces. I like very well what is called a half- 

 concave and half-convex 

 shoe. The toe concaved 

 on the ground surface 

 will not throw dirt 

 against the horse's belly, 

 which is sufficient to 

 make some unsteadv, 

 while the concavity on 

 the upper surface j^re- 

 vents it from bearing on 

 the sole. We generally 

 have the shoe drop off 



Typical Palo Alto Shoe. at the heel ; i. €., WC 



begin about an inch from the heel to champer it off to 

 a tapering end. 



My explanation has 

 been mainly directed 

 toward making clear the 

 reasons for preserving 

 the natural level and 

 bearing, and the neces- 

 sit}^ of non-interference 

 with the expansion and 

 contraction of the hoof 

 from the quarter to the 

 heel, according as the 



foot bears weight or is inside of shoe. 



relieved of it. The levelling I have already spoken 

 of ; in the manner of nailing the shoe, the freedom 

 to expand must be preserved. We, as a rule, put in 



