26 



so effective on ice. Figure 11 is an illustration of one of the best of 

 many rubber pads. The rubber is stitched and cemented, to a leather 

 sole and is secured by the nails of 

 a three-quarter shoe. Such a pad 

 will usually last as long as two 

 shoes. They may be used contin- 

 uously, not only without injury to 



Fig. 12.— A narrow right fore hoof of the base- 

 wide (toe-wide) standing position, shod with 

 a plain, " dropped-crease " shoe to prevent the 

 toe-cutting (interfering). The dotted line at 

 the inner toe indicates the edge of the wall 

 which was rasped away in order to narrow the 

 hoof along the striking section. Note the in- 

 ward bevel of the shoe at this point, the dropped 

 crease, the distribution of the nails, the long 

 "full" inner branch, and the short "close" 

 outer branch. 



179 



Fig. 11. — Left fore foot of regular form shod with a 

 rubber pad and " three-quarter" shoe. (Ground 

 surface. ) 



the hoof but to its great benefit. 

 The belief, unsupported by evi- 

 dence, that rubber pads " draw the 

 feet" keeps many from using them. 

 A human foot encased in a rubber 

 boot may eventually be blistered 

 by the sweat poured upon the sur- 

 face of the skin and held there by 

 the impervious rubber till decom- 

 position takes place with the for- 

 mation of irritating fatty acids; but 

 there is no basis for an analoov in 

 the hoof of a horse. 



