CHAPTER XII. 



SHOEING. 



Proper Treatment of the Feet in Shoeing — Mistakes Pointed 

 Out — Fitting the Shoe to the Foot — Contracted Feet — 

 Interfering and Striking — Frequent Shoeing Necessary. 



Proper treatment of the foot is one of the principal requisites 

 in the care of horses. Ignorant blacksmiths damage more 

 horses than they benefit by the close ^^^ 



paring of the hoof at heel and sole, 

 and rasping of the walls. " Take 

 care of the shuck and the middle 

 will take care of itself." This 

 statement, made recently by one 

 of the best shoers I have ever 

 known, is the terse expression of 



a great truth. It is his custom to put on the shoes cold, 

 afier carefully fitting them to the hoof, which is rasped level 

 or pared as little as possible. He does not " clean up the 

 frog,"' "open the heels," rasp off the walls, thin the sole, 

 nor in any way disturb himself to circumvent nature's efforts 

 to protect that sensitive and beautiful creation — the horse's 

 foot — so wonderfully hung, adjusted and boxed. 



The horse with contracted heels ! what a bugbear he is, 

 and how the average bungler loves to get hold of him and 

 display his wisdom and ability (?). Contracted feet are pro- 

 duced by artificial conditions and faulty shoeing. The great 



