138 ITOESE-SHOES, ETC. 



(4) Nail Holes (figs. 86 and 88, d). — The form, direction,, 

 distribution and number of the nail holes are very important 

 and deserve careful consideration. The fact must be carefully 

 borne in mind that the nail should not lose its hold until the- 

 shoe is virtually worn out, and, therefore, the nail is formed 

 with a pyramidal head and the shoe with a deep fuller, through 

 whicli the nail holes are stamped. The fullering must, there- 

 fore, correspond with the form of the nail head, so that the one^ 

 exactly fits the other, and necessarily the fullering tool must 

 correspond in section to the shape of the head of the nail. 



The shoe should be fastened with the smallest number of 

 nails which will hold it firmly, and it has been stated by Miles 

 that under some circumstances even three nails are sufficient 

 to give a good hold. Each nail makes a hole, which weakens 

 the wall. Experience teaches that six nail holes are sufficient, 

 at least in front shoes, and that only very large and heavy 

 shoes, and hind shoes especially, require as many as seven or 

 eight. A well-fitted shoe is very easy to affix, but a faulty 

 shoe may be difficult to secure even with eight or ten nails. 

 The best formed nail holes, however, may be very bad indeed 

 if badly placed, and it is imperative to remember that nail 

 holes should be so disposed that nails driven through them 

 with reasonable care will enter sound horn, will not injure 

 the soft parts, will not split the horny wall, and will not 

 diminish the elasticity of the hoof. To meet these demands 

 the nail holes must, when the shoe is in position, correspond 

 with the white line at the point where the latter comes in 

 contact with the bearino- surface of the wall. In a well-formed 

 shoe, therefore, the nail holes appear close to the inner border 

 of the bearing surface (fig. 88, d). The distance of the nail 

 holes from the outer margin of the shoe must vary according 

 to the thickness of the horny wall. When they are so far 

 from the outer margin that the nail tends to penetrate the 

 horny sole, the nail holes are ' coarse ' ; when, on the other 

 hand, they approach the outer margin of the shoe so that the 

 nail passes directly into the outer sheath of the horny wall, they 

 are ' fine.' In either case, the holes are improperly punched or 

 the shoe is ' badlv holed ' if intended for a normal foot. When 

 the holes, though in good position, point too obliquely inwards, 

 and, therefore, give the nail a wrong direction, the shoe is also 



