334 ON PLATING RACE-HORSES, 



that the heels of it are to be broiiglit but just up or 

 home to the horse's heels when on, and not to project 

 the least beyond them ; and to prevent any hold being 

 taken by the toes of the hind feet, the heels of the fore 

 plates should be bevelled off. 



If plates are properly forged, they require little or 

 no rasping, which only renders them weak. Plates 

 for moderate sized horses need scarcely ever exceed in 

 breadth three-and-a-half eighths of an inch. Middle 

 sized, light horses, running short races, and not heats, 

 (more particularly if the ground is soft) may not re- 

 quire them even of that breadth and substance. But 

 for large horses, whose feet are in proportion to their 

 size, the plate should vary accordingly. The fullering 

 or grove, which is made round the centre of the plate, 

 cannot well be too coarse, provided it does not too 

 much weaken the plate. The fullering must be made 

 in the centre, for if it is made to approach too near the 

 outer edge, it will weaken the plate, in which case the 

 smith cannot well get sufficient hold with his nails to 

 keep the plate secure. 



The depth of the fullering must be regulated, and 

 the nail holes punched in it, according to the substance 

 of the plate and the size of the nails which are likely 

 to be used in putting it on ; that is to say, that by a 

 smart blow or two from the hammer after the nails are 

 driven, the heads of them should be buried and on a 

 level with the surface of the plates. 



The situation in which each nail hole should be 

 placed, will depend in a great measure on the size of 

 the plates. In good feet, the nail holes should begin 



