308 ON THE TREATMENT OF HORSES' FEET, 



the case,) there will be no hard road for them to walk 

 over ill going to the exercise ground, the surface of 

 which, in winter (except in the time of frost) is soft, 

 moist, and cool. Some horses are two or three hours 

 a day at exercise, as many of them have to eome to 

 post early in the spring. Their feet, during this 

 period of exercise, become, to a certain extent, relaxed 

 and cool, more particularly if there has been much wet 

 during the night ; and if the necessary attention be 

 paid to their feet on returning to the stables, they may 

 be said to be kept nearly approaching to that natural 

 and healthy state in which they were previous to their 

 leaving their paddocks, provided they wear three- 

 quarter shoes instead of those which are made to come 

 full home to the heels of their feet. 



Country plate horses that have become stale from 

 travelling and running during the summer, and that 

 have also their feet much broken from the repeated re- 

 placing of their shoes and plates, have seldom to come 

 out very early in spring. They are generally wintered 

 in loose boxes ; and during the whole of the time that 

 such horses remain in them and out of work, they 

 should wear on their fore-feet three-quarter shoes, with 

 a clip at the toe, and three nails on each side of each 

 foot ; but the nails should not approach closer to the 

 heels than is absolutely necessary to keep the shoes on. 

 Once in about every three weeks (depending much on 

 the growth and strength of the feet) the shoes should 

 be removed, and also the front part of the feet properly 

 cleaned out, and, if necessary, the toes should be 

 shortened ; the heels and quarters should be allowed to 



