832 ON PLATING RACE-HORSES. 



unintentionally fall into error, and which, with race- 

 horses, I believe most racing men are aware must 

 be guarded against as much as possible. 



Whenever horses are to be plated, the groom may 

 go himself, or after the stable hour is concluded, he 

 may send of the boys, to the smith over-night, with 

 orders for him to attend at the stables in the morning, 

 by the time the horses are returned from exercise, that 

 he may take measure of their feet, and make the plates 

 for such of them as may be going to run on the follow- 

 ing day. 



The smith, when measuring the horses' feet, com- 

 monly makes use of two straws, for the purpose of 

 taking the length with one and the breadth with 

 the other, and if he does not understand figures, 

 he will, of course, do it more correctly this way than 

 by a rule. If there is any difference to be made 

 between the size of the shoe and that of the plate, 

 it is that the latter should be rather less than the 

 former in its circumference round the foot, so that the 

 plate may, to a certain extent, rest in the bed which 

 may have been formed by the shoe. The plate should 

 not, by any means, project beyond the edge of the 

 hoof; for, should a restless, irritable horse have to 

 saddle on the course, (which is the case where there is 

 no rubbing house) he may, from ranging about, tread 

 a plate off, unless the precaution is taken of setting 

 the plate level with, or within the edge of the hoof. 

 An accident of this sort not only keeps other horses 

 waiting, but it may create a dispute as to whether the 



