NAILING OX THE SHOE. 



275 



hard sheath of the wall, and, therefore, is in the proper 

 direction. A moment later he detects, by means of the second 

 and third fingers of his left hand, which rest lightly on the 

 wall, the point at which the nail will emerge, when he releases 

 his hold on the nail, and drives it fully home. The force to 

 be applied depends on the hardness of the horn and the size 

 of the nail. 



Nails which penetrate ^- inch and still go ' soft,' or which 

 cause the animal to flinch, should at once be withdrawn. Im- 

 mediately the nail is driven home its point should be turned 

 over. 



It looks well, and is a mark of good workmanship, for the 

 nails of each side to appear at an equal height in the wall, 



Fig. 272.— Cross section of a sound and well-shod hoof, showing the position of the nails. 

 a, pedal bone ; 6, sensitive sole ; c, horny sole ; d, horn wall ; e, dark-coloured outer 

 layer of do. ; /, laminal sheath ; g, nails. 



though this is by no means absolutely necessary ; certainly it 

 is much more important that they should be driven so as not 

 to injure the hoof. If more than six nails are driven to an 

 equal height, injury may result, as the nails then come closer 

 together. 



When all the nails have been driven the hoof is supported 

 by the left hand, and with a few powerful blows the heads are 

 sunk securely in the nail holes. The shoe is thus firmly fixed 

 to the hoof, the third condition mentioned above. The nails 

 being firmly driven, the pincers are held under the turned-down 

 points, which are completely bent and brought in close contact 

 with the hoof by light blows on each in succession. This is 

 done not to cause the nails to hold more firmly in the hoof, but 

 only to facilitate nipping off the points and clenching. 



