SHOES EOUNDED AT THE TOES. 93 



just SO much dislied as to allow, when nailed to the crust, of a 

 picher heing Jreehj passed all around hetween it and the sole. 

 More than ordiuary care should be taken to prevent the shoe 

 from pressing upon the quarters and corners of the heels. 

 I mention the quarters and the heels more particularly, 

 because it is at these points that undue pressure is to be 

 dreaded, and is so frequently the cause of lameness. It is 

 also here, that corns have their seat (see ff, Figure 11, 

 page 85), and every horseman well knows the danger which 

 attends their presence. A corn is a common cause of foot 

 lameness, and occasionally of the animal falling down and 

 injuring its knees. 



The flatter the sole of the foot, the more the shoe will 

 require to be dished, and the gTeater the care necessary to be 

 exercised by the farrier in fitting it. Horses having flat soled 

 feet, if shod by an ignorant or careless smith, will generally be 

 found to have corns within the heels, and bruises upon the 

 soles of the feet. 



The Shoe to be Eoui^'ded at the Toe. — The rationale of 

 this, as a rule, will appear evident to any one, who will take the 

 trouble to examine the worn out shoes of horses ; he will find that 

 the majority of them will be much worn at the toe. The animal 

 for several days after having been newly shod, without the toe 

 being rounded, will generally trip more than when it is 

 fashioned as directed, — a strong proof that the rule is worthy of 

 being practised. A fore foot shoe ought to be rounded at the 

 toe, and the rounded part properly hardened at the time. 



The Beabi^tg- of the Shoe to be Unifoem. — This in 

 most cases is necessary. In some instances, however, it wiU be 

 expedient to give the shoe, what is called " a spring" at the 

 quarters ; that is, the shoe, as it approaches the heels of the 

 foot, is to be very slightly bent from the crust. Many horses 



