132 AMERICAN STABLE GUIDE. 



three to four times in summer when the sun is hot and the 

 streets are dry. If the stuffing is not sufficient to supply 

 moisture, it should be assisted by fever pads, or crescent 

 shaped folds of woollen cloths, saturated with cold water, 

 and laid over the hoofs and tied behind the foot, with wor- 

 sted strings, to prevent marks or shaving off of the hair. 

 The pads or cloths, like the stuffing, may be applied as 

 often as may be necessary to keep the hoofs cool and moisf, 

 taking care, however, not to have the hoofs too soft, or the 

 horse will not step as firm upon his feet as he would natu- 

 rally do. 



Those causes which give rise to dryness, &c., &c., of the 

 hoofs should be carefully avoided. Thus, the horse-shoer 

 should not be allowed to apply a shoe to the foot, either to 

 make its bearing, or fix a shoe even slightly warm, but it 

 must be positively cold to the foot. Another cause of dry- 

 ness, &c., may be avoided, in a great measure, by standing 

 and driving horses in the shade, and not allowing the sun's 

 rays to reflect upon them; and finally, by driving over 

 roads with the softest surface consistent with the weight 

 of the load to which the animal is attached. 



To aid in this matter, a few words to the shoer seem to 

 be necessary. Treat the hoofs of horses by no fixed rule, 

 as all hoofs are not alike in size, solidity, firmness, and 

 depth, although they all belong to horses of the same 

 work. Thus, some hoofs will require considerable portions 

 of horn to be taken from them at each monthly shoeing, 

 while others again cannot afford to be so treated ; and hence 



