PKEPARATION OF HOOF FOR SHOEING. 



205 



the sole should be freed of loose portions of horn but 

 nothing more. This done, the bearing surface of the wall is 

 lowered until a narrow strip, the width of a straw, on the 

 outer border of the sole, and in contact all round with the 

 white line, forms part of the new bearing surface. This 



Fig. 193.— Section through normal hoof, 

 showing strength of "connection be- 

 tween Avail and sole. 



Fig. 194. — Section through hoof 

 with thin sole, showing con- 

 nection between wall and sole. 



avoids weakening the connection between the wall and sole 

 (figs. 193, 194, 195, and 196). 



When the sole shows no lar^e cracks, and its outer circum- 

 ference forms a continuous surface with that of the wall, noth- 

 ing should, as a rule, be removed. At most the wall is to be 

 levelled with the rasp, and the bars, if curling inwards, slightly 

 reduced. All portions of the wall lower than the margin of 



Fig. 195.— Section through normal foot, a, os pedis; b, sensitive sole; e, horn sole; d, bear- 

 ing margin of wall; e, boundary between growing horn and that ready to be cast, indi- 

 cating how far the sole should be pared. 



the sole can be removed ; if no part projects below this point 

 nothing should be removed. The bearing surface then con- 

 sists of the thickness of the wall, including the white line, and 

 a narrow strip of the outer margin of the sole. This should be 

 completely levelled with the rasp and only rounded off slightly 

 at the toe. 



In case of doubt as to how much to remove, the horn of the 



