NUMBER OP NAILS. 



97 



The annexed eno^ravinpr, also taken from his work, will 



'O' 



perhaps shew the matter even more clearly. 



Figure 13 sheios the foot 

 surface of a left fore foot 

 shoe, giving the position of 

 the nail holes as recommen- 

 ded hy Mr Miles. 



a The toe. 



ee 



eh 



ddd 



The outside quarter and 

 the nail holes. 



The inside quarter, shew- 

 ing the nail holes. 



The weh of the shoe. 

 Fig. 13. 



The common practice is to fix a fore foot shoe with eight 

 nails ; this number is more than necessary for hack and harness 

 horses. I have experimented a good deal in this matter, and 

 can with confidence state that the recommendation of Mr. 

 Miles, so far as it relates to saddle and harness horses, is good. 

 Five nails in their case are sufficient ; but should the reader be 

 sceptical upon the matter, he may readily test it for himself, 

 without either risk or expense, by using, on the first opportu- 

 nity, the five nails instead of the eight. 



I do not recommend five nails on the same ground merely 

 as Mr. Miles, viz., because " by this arrangement the whole of 

 the inner quarter and heel are left unfettered, and free to 

 expand;" since the expansion of the hoof with many is a 

 question of doubt. Numbers of veterinary surgeons deny it 

 altogether ; others, however, as strenuously affirm it. In my 

 opinion both are right, and both are wrong. I have found the 

 feet of young horses, and of those which have not been severely 

 taxed with labour, to expand ; while the feet of aged horses, 

 and of those for a long time engaged in severe labour, have not 



G 



