102 VETERINARY LECTURES 



178. In all cases where there is a good, healthy, well-formed 

 foot, with concave sole, the surface of the shoe next the foot 

 ought to be flat, so as to give a little pressure to the sole, and also 

 to support the union of the wall with the sole. In weak, convex 

 soles, however, the shoe should be seated so as to meet the require- 

 ments of the case. 



179. Preparing the Foot for the Shoe.— A young horse, 

 when first brought in from grass, should be put into a loose, open 

 shed for ten days or a fortnight before shoes are applied to the feet. 

 The ground surface of the crust or wall of the foot should then be 

 levelled with a rasp, to make a good bed for the shoe, which should 

 invariably be a plain one, without the heels being turned up ; and 

 on no consideration must the shoe be applied too hot to the foot, 

 for, although horn is a bad heat conductor, yet I have, on several 

 occasions, seen founder (laminitis) produced through neglect of this 

 caution. In future shoeing — i.e., re-shoeing — the clinches ought to 

 be carefully turned back, and, if possible, each nail drawn separately, 

 thus preventing the crust being broken ; the rasp may then be run 

 gently round the sharp edges of the crust, and, as the foot always 

 grows in length at the toe (Plate XIII., Figs. A and B) and 

 very sparingly at the heels, it must be shortened. This is usually 

 done by cutting a piece from the front of the wall, at the toe ; but 

 to this method I have great objections. The foot should be short- 

 ened by dressing down the ground surface from one quarter round 

 the toe to the other. This, when properly done, gives a level bear- 

 ing for the shoe, preventing pressure on the heels, without having to 

 spring the heels of the shoe. In paring the sole, only the rough, 

 loose flakes ought to be removed, except in navicular disease, 

 where we have, from continued irritation, an overgrowth of horn, 

 in which case the sole must then be thinned by paring the ground 

 surface of the sole of the foot. 



180. Farmers themselves are very much to blame in not paying 

 more attention to their horses' feet. ' No foot, no horse ' — that is to 

 say, no matter how grand and good the animal may be otherwise, it 

 is of very little account if it has not sound feet. Sometimes farmers 



