PART 11. 



THE HORSE'S FOOT IN RELATION 



TO SHOEING. 



SEOTIOIsr I. 

 SHOEING OF HEALTHY FEET. 



CHAPTER I. 



HORSE-SHOES, ETC. 



The production of a good shoe demands intelligence, skill in 

 the use of tools, and the ability to measure accurately with the 

 eye ; while the farrier who desires to excel must possess and 

 constantly apply a knowledge of the formation and functions 

 of the foot. 



1. Material for the Manufacture of Shoes. 



Wrought Iron. — The best material is tough, fine grained, 

 ductile, wrought iron, which, however, must retain its toughness 

 when hot and stand the test of fullering. To obtain special 

 durability old shoes are sometimes employed, from one and a- 

 half or two of which is produced a n-ew shoe. Such are more 

 difficult to make, but being ' steely ' last considerably longer. 



A great many patterns of rolled iron are on the market, 

 from which shoes for light horses and for special purposes can 

 be made. These special bars when of English manufacture 

 are usually seated on the hoof surface ; the German patterns 

 are flat. The ground surface of some is roughened by projec- 

 tions and recesses, arranged either cross-wise or length-wise or 

 in both directions. Of these latter there are many different 



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