EXAMINATION OF ANIMAL BEFORE SHOEING. 



199 



heavy or troublesome, an assistant is of great service and 

 sometimes almost indispensable, while the work can be better 

 done as the foot need not be raised so hicrh. 



2. Determining the Style of Shoeincj. 



In judging of the style of shoeing to adopt, the horse must 

 be seen both at rest and in motion, the objects being to form 

 a clear idea of the conformation and action of the limb, of the 

 form and condition of the hoof, of the way in which the horse 

 brings the foot to, and lifts it from, the ground, of the shape 

 and length to be given to the shoe, of the number and position 

 of the nail holes, and of the wear of the old shoe, in order 



Fig. 189. 



Fig. 190. 



that all the peculiarities thus discovered may be utilised to 

 remove or palliate existing defects. 



The horse is led away from the observer in a straight line, 

 the hind-limbs being first examined (fig. 189), and on its 

 return the fore-limbs (fig. 190). This is continued until the 

 examiner makes up his mind whether the horse goes normally 

 or not. In tlie latter case, that is, if the horse goes in 

 some irregular way, one of two conditions may exist, that is, 

 the deviation may be inwards or outwards. The foot and hoof 



