In making the nail holes in the shoe, it is better, 

 for many reasons, to punch each hole by itself and 

 properly countersink on the ground surface to obtain 

 a firm seating for the heads. When the shoe is 

 creased for the holes, the nails have more play, are 

 more apt, therefore, to break and the shoe is also 

 weakened. This manner of construction will be 

 found to be the rule on any and all the shoes shown 

 in this work and it is, unquestionably, the more cor- 

 rect wav. 



The wall of the hind different from that of the 

 fore foot is the thickest and strongest at the back 

 part, nails can, therefore — when necessary to retain a 

 firmer hold for the shoe and to prevent a not infre- 

 quent accident, that of their spreading at the heels — 

 be driven further back towards the heels without 

 seriously interfering with the natural expansion of 

 the foot. 



Clips Rarely Necessary. 



Clips on shoes should rarely or never be used. Shoes 

 can scarcely be fitted properly with clips on them; they 

 are a device fit only for the careless and hurried smith 

 who uses them rather than take a little more time and 

 properly fit the shoes to the feet. There are feet that 

 require the use of clips on the shoes and on such they 

 must he used, as will be explained under the proper 

 heading, in describing the class of feet to which they 

 are necessary. 



The Sole. 



The sole should not be removed from the foot 

 —for it sheds at proper time— only so much of it as is 

 immediately under the shoe, to avoid its pressing on it. 



About the Frog. 



The frog may be left untouched, except that it shall 

 show any evidence of thrush, when it should be care- 

 fully cleaned out at the crevice and at the sides, thus 

 removing all diseased parts so that any remedies it 

 may be thought proper to apply shall have oppor- 

 tunity to act. Also the ragged edges of any diseased 

 frog should be cleaned off so as not to afford a lodg- 



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