SHOEING HORSES WHICH FORGE. 285 



square across the toe and clipped on either side of the toe, 

 though this affords no protection to the toe of foot, which often 

 becomes worn away. For hard-working horses nothing succeeds 

 better than the diamond-toed shoe. 



Clips may be drawn at the toe (the apex of the diamond), at 

 either side of the toe, or at the toe and outside quarter. 



In preparing the foot the horn at the toe must be spared so 

 that it overhangs the sides of the toe of shoe. Should the hind 

 foot still overtake the fore, it is then the horn and not the shoe 

 which makes contact, and the noise is materially diminished. 

 The heels of the foot should be lowered, the toe left fairly 

 long. 



To enable the shoe to be kept as light as possible it is often 

 fashioned from steel. 



DIAMOND-TOED HIND SHOE WITH ' TOE-SPUE ' FOR 

 HAENESS HOESE WHICH FOEGES AND WEAES 

 WALL OF HIND-FOOT (Fig. 278). 



Made from old shoes. 



Occasionally the wall of the hind-foot is worn away quite 

 close to the coronet, as explained in the foregoing note. The 

 sensitive structures may even be exposed and bleeding result. 

 The shoe illustrated is intended to prevent such injury. It 

 consists of a diamond-toed shoe with an upward prolongation 

 or spur accurately fitted to the contour of the wall at the 

 injured spot. 



The spur is made from half-round iron |^ inch in width, and 

 is of sufficient length to reach nearly to the coronet. It is 

 ' shut-on ' or welded to the shoe when the latter is com- 

 pleted. The spur must be very carefully shaped to the wall, 

 otherwise it increases the noise, and its appearance is very 

 unsightly. 



The heels of the shoe should always be thin. Unless for 

 some special reason, such as the existence of sprain of the 



