22 THE horse's foot, 



long, fully to support the angles at the heels,* and not, as is 

 too often the case, so short, that a little wear imbeds the 

 edge of it in the horn at these parts. f The foot surface of 

 the shoe should always have a good flat even space left all 

 around for the crust to bear upon ;{ for it must be remem- 

 bered, that the crust sustains the whole weight of the horse, 

 and needs to have a perfectly even bearing everywhere 

 around the shoe. In this space the nail-holes should be 

 punched, § and not, as is too often the case, partly in it, and 

 partly in the seating. || In what is technically callea " back- 

 holing the shoe," which means completing the opening of the 

 nail-holes on the foot surface, great care should be taken to 

 give them an outward direction, so as to allow the points of 

 the nails to be brought out low dov/n in the crust. The re- 

 mainder of the foot surface should be carefully seated out, 

 particularly around the elevated toe, IT where it might other- 

 wise press inconveniently upon the sole ; and I would have 

 the seating carried on fairly to the point where the crust 

 and the bars meet, in order that there may be no pressure 

 in the seat of corns : the chance of pressure in this situa- 

 tion will be further diminished by bevelling off the inner 

 edge of the heels with a rasp. 



The ground surface should be perfectly flat, with a fuller- 

 ing or groove running round the outer edge, just under 

 the plain surface, whereon the crust bears.** The princi- 

 pal use of the fuller is to receive the heads of the nails 

 that secure the shoe, and prevent their bending or breaking 

 off: — it is further useful in increasing the hold of the shoe 

 upon the ground, and with this view I always have it 

 carried back to the heels. 



The danger apprehended from the shoe being applied to 

 the foot so hot as to burn the crust, and cause it to smoke, 

 is utterly groundless. I would not have it made to burn 

 Itself into its place upon the foot, without the assistance of 

 rasp or drawing-knife, but I would have it tried to the 

 foot sufficiently hot to scorch every part that bears unevenly 

 upon it ; because the advantage of detecting such pro- 

 jecting portions is very great, and this mode of accomplish- 

 ing it is positively harmless. Indeed it is the only one by 

 which the even bearing necessary to a perfect fitting of the 

 shoe can be insured. 



* Page 61, fig. 16. t Page 60, fig. 15. t Page 51, fig. 7. 

 § Page 61, fig. 16. || Page 60, fig. 15. IT Page 51, fig. 7. 

 «« Page 52, fig. 8. 



