ON PLATING RACE-HORSES. 336 



where the toe may be said to end. There should be 

 four nails on each side ; the first and second nail holes 

 from the toe may be punched an inch or more apart. 

 Be this as it may, the smith must observe to regulate 

 the distance here between these two holes so as to 

 admit of his punching the third within the distance of 

 about an inch and a half of the end of the heel of the 

 plate ; and in the centre of the space there left, between 

 the third nail and the end of the plate, the last hole of 

 the foiu- should be punched ; otherwise the plates, par- 

 ticularly^ of the fore-feet, will spring at the heels, from 

 the concussion produced by severe running on hard 

 ground. 



Horses that. are kept in reserve for particular races, 

 are consequently but seldom running. Their shoes 

 and plates not being often removed, their feet (unless 

 they have been neglected) are sound and strong, with 

 good heels and plenty of horn to nail to. For such 

 horses, the full plate is to be preferred, as it gives the 

 horse a more firm and level tread with his fore- feet than 

 the three-quarter plate can possibly do. 



The three-quarter plate is made in most respects like 

 the full plate, except in its length. Being shorter, it 

 seldom requires for its security more than three nails on 

 each side ; and as in the first-mentioned plate, where 

 the toe ends, the first nail hole should be punched ; the 

 divisions being so arranged by the smith, as to the dis- 

 tance from each other, as to admit of the last hole being 

 punched within half an inch of the end of the plate. 



A three-quarter plate is more generally used for 



