FIT OF THE SHOE. 95 



Mr. Miles recommends that the outer nm of the shoe 

 should exactly correspond to the rim of the crust ; and also, 

 that the web of the shoe he of imiform loidth. He says, " the 

 edge of the shoe must be made to correspond with the edge of 

 the hoof all round, from heel to heel ; and to do this effectually, 

 and keep the web of the shoe as wide at the heels as it is at the 

 toe, the heels must be brought in until they very nearly touch 

 the frog. I would not have them bear on the frog, but I would 

 rather see them touch it than be able to lay my finger between 

 it and the shoe. 



" There are many advantages attending the bringing in of 

 the heels, and not a single disadvantage to set against them. 

 In the first place, it removes all the points and projections by 

 which stiff ground is enabled to pull off" the shoe ; in the next 

 place, it aff'ords a good firm flat surface for the heels of the hoof 

 to rest upon, and, by bringing the sides of the shoe nearer 

 together, the navicular joint, (which lies in the hoof above the 

 £pog and about an inch from its point,) is saved from many an 

 unlucky jar from stones in the road, by the shoe receiving it 

 instead of the frog. The shoe must not only fit the edge of the 

 crust, but the whole of the crust must have an even bearing on 

 the shoe, and this can only be effected by making the shoe hot 

 enough to scorch the horn, and applying it to the foot. The 

 quantity of horn to be thus destroyed, when the foot and shoe 

 have both been made as level as the smith can make them, is 

 very inconsiderable, and the heat so applied can do no harm. 

 I would not have the shoe burnt into its place on the foot 

 without previous preparation, as is very often done to save a 

 little trouble, but I would have the hot shoe so applied as to 

 insure a close fit all around. A thin, weak hoof will not bear 

 as much heat, without inconvenience to the horse, as a strong 

 one ; but as a close fit is of even more importance to a weak 



