134 



HORSE-SHOES, ETC. 



(2) Breadth and Thickness. — The breadth of the shoe 

 depends, firstly, on the form of the hoof, whether it is narrow 

 or wide ; secondly (but the point is very important), on the 



Fig. 85. — Right front shoe seen 

 from l)elo\v. 



Fig. 86.— The same seen from above. 

 rt, bearing surface ; b, seated sur- 

 face. 



thickness of the wall. As a general rule, twice the thickness 

 of the wall, including the white line, will be sufhcieut. The 

 breadth of the toe will, therefore, be from f to 1-J; inches. 



Wide hoofs require a broader 

 shoe than narrow ones. As 

 the wall varies in thickness at 

 different points and in different 

 feet, the shoe also varies, being 

 broader at the toe than at the 

 heels ; and when intended for 

 fore-feet, being broader than for 

 hind. For special purposes, lil\,e 

 racing, very narrow shoes may 

 be required, whilst for work on 

 stone-paved streets the breadth 

 may advantageously be in- 

 creased. In Paris, where the 

 shoes, for economical reasons, are made very narrow, the feet 

 are in general exceptionally bad. Excessive breadth, however, 

 increases the risk of slipping on muddy or frozen roads. The 

 thickness of the shoe also varies according to the size, weight, 

 and duty of the horse and to the kind of ground on which it 



Fig. ST.— Left hind shoe seen from above. 



