GUIDING PKINCIPLES IN SHOEING TROTTING HORSES. 



233 



nail holes are sunk in a deep fuller extending completely round 

 the shoe ; the last nail holes approach rather closer to the heels 

 than in the ordinary shoe. The weight is about five to six 

 ounces. 



The hind shoe is narrower than the fore ; the heels are 

 prolonged as shown, and terminate in small three-cornered 

 calkins ; sometimes they project an inch or even more beyond 

 the heels and are of unequal length, the outer being the longer. 

 This arrangement is believed to make the animal ' gain ground.' 

 There are six nail holes and the fullering is broken at the toe. 

 The clip, when present, is placed considerably to the inside of 

 the centre of the toe, which is carefully rounded. 



In training, the Americans use heavier shoes and atfix 



Fig. 230.— Hind hoof shod with weighted shoe, a, hook which slips betweeu hoof and 

 shoe to fasten weight ; b, brass weight ; c, binding screw ; d, eyelets for straps. 



weights to the feet, which, in the front feet, are fastened to 

 the toe, in the hind, to the outer side. These are of brass or 

 lead, somewhat oval in shape and of hemispherical section, 

 weighing from 1^ to 6 ounces. Sometimes they are even used 

 in racing. In front slioes they are usually fastened by screws 

 to a prolongation rising from the toe (fig. 228). 



In the case of hind-feet the weight is fixed in one of two 

 ways, the more common being by nieans of a strap (fig. 230, e) 

 passed round the hoof. In order to assure solid attachment 

 of the weiglit a hook (a) projects below, fitting into an opening 

 between the bearing surface of the hoof and the shoe. The 

 second method is by means of an angled strip of brass, affixed 

 by two screws to the lower outer surface of the wall, which 

 has been excavated for it (fig. 231). The ordinary weighted 

 shoes are made broader opposite tlie point where the extra 

 weight is required (tigs. 232 and 233). Sucli weights play an 



