HORSESHOEING. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Bad and indifferent shoeing frequently leads to diseases of the feet 

 and to irregularities of gait which may render a horse unserviceable. 

 It is important, therefore, to consider the principles involved in shoe- 

 ing healthy hoofs. In this discussion of the subject it is intended 

 to give the intelligent horse owner sufficient information, based on 

 experience and upon the anatomy and physiology of the foot and leg, 

 to enable him to avoid the more serious consequences of improper 

 shoeing. 



THE FOOT. 



Let us first examine the mechanism of the foot and learn something 

 of its structure and of the natural movements of its component parts, 

 that we may be prepared to recognize deviations from the normal and 

 to apply the proper corrective. 



GROSS ANATOMY OF THE FOOT. 



Bones. — The bones of the foot are four in number, three of which — 

 the long pastern, short pastern, and coffinbone — placed end to end, form 

 a continuous straight column passing downward and forward from the 

 fetlock joint to the ground. A small accessory bone, the navicular, or 

 " shuttle," bone, lies crosswise in the foot between the wings of the 

 coffinbone and forms part of the joint surface of the latter. The short 

 pastern projects about 1£ inches above the hoof and extends about an 

 equal distance into it. 



Hinge joints. — The pasterns and the coffinbone are held together by 

 strong fibrous cords passing between each two bones and placed at the 

 sides so as not to interfere with the forward and backward movement 

 of the bones. The joints are therefore hinge joints, though imperfect, 

 because, while the chief movements are those of extension and flexion 

 in a single plane, some slight rotation and lateral movements are 

 possible. 



Tendons and flexors. — The bones are still further bound together and 

 supported by three long fibrous cords or tendons. One, the extensor 

 tendon of the toe, passes down the front of the pasterns and attaches 

 to the coffinbone just below the edge of the hair; when pulled upon 

 by its muscle this tendon draws the toe forward and enables the horse 

 to place the hoof flat upon the ground. The other two tendons are 



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