GUIDING PEINCIPLES IN SHOEING HACKS. 



217 



7. Choice of the Shoe fou Specific Uses. 



We shall now consider the shoes more commonly employed 

 in each of the classes mentioned on p. 147. The general 

 principles to be observed in shoeing each class (such as hacks, 

 hunters, race-horses, etc.) will hrst be given and will be 

 followed by descriptions of specific slices for the uses indicated. 



1. HACKS. 



As saddle horses are seldom used for more than a few hours 

 per day, they require light, closely fitted shoes, which afford 

 sufficient protection to the feet without endangering ' cutting * 

 or ' overreaching,' and without in any way impeding freedom of 

 action. x\t the same time, it is very bad policy to unduly 



Fig. 209. — Fullered front shoe for hack. As in several of the 

 following figures, the foot has l)een cut out so that bars 

 appear unduly prolonged. 



# 



reduce the ' cover ' of the shoe, as is often done in order to 

 produce a neat appearance, because a certain quantity of iron is 

 necessary to give durability, and as the ' cover ' is reduced the 

 thickness of the shoe must be pioportiouately increased. Carried 

 to an extreme, this narrowing of the shoe is a grave evil. 



In preparing the foot, the heels should be left as strong as 

 possible, because, under the rider, the pastern descends and the 

 major part of the weight is thrown on the back of the foot. 



