FORE SHOES FOR HUNTERS. 225 



ordinary cover often cease to do so when shod with this shoe. 

 It is useful both for fore and hind feet, and should always be 

 kept perfectly flat, as shown. The heels are sloped off obliquely 

 to prevent their coming in contact with the elbows when the 

 horse lies down, and producing ' capped elbow.' 



Where the horse brushes, the outer margin of the inner 

 limb of shoe should be chamfered down before stamping the 

 inside toe-nails. This prevents the parts burring over and 

 forming a saw-like, cutting edge which might otherwise inflict 

 severe injury on the opposite limb. 



Chamfering down, however, causes the heads of the nails to 

 overhang the edge of the shoe when the latter is nailed on ; 

 these overhanging portions must therefore be afterwards filed 

 or rasped level with the edge. Another point worthy of note 

 is that, owing to the difference in hardness, iron nails have a 

 tendency to sink when inserted in steel shoes, and so to allow 

 the clenches to rise. The constant hammering: of the feet on 

 the ground drives the nail further and further home, the head 

 and neck gradually yielding. 



This shoe is too light, and wears too short a time for work on 

 roads ; its use is therefore chiefly confined to animals exercised 

 on grass. 



