482 HORSE-SHOES AND HORSE-SHOEING. 



crescent) ; it should be stamped very fine {maigi-e). It 

 must be remarked that these two kinds of shoes are only 

 lit for horses with strong hoofs.' 



His recommendations for shoeing good hoofs to 

 travel on all kinds of ground are as follows : ' The shoes 

 must not be too long or project beyond the heels, but 

 only reach the bars ; neither must the hoofs, behind or 

 before, be pared. The wall or crust alone should be 

 diminished in proportion as it may be too long ; this 

 should be done evenly, and neither the sole nor frog must 

 be cut; the latter should be allowed to project, if possible, 

 above the shoe, so that it may come into contact with the 

 ground. The shoe ought to be about the same strength 

 throughout, or a little thicker and wider in the outer 

 branch of the fore foot, and thin at the heels of the hind 

 one. Be careful to stamp the nail-holes on the same line, 

 not in a zigzag manner ; the holes should not be too 

 coarse, as there is then danger of pricking the horse, or 

 binding the hoof with the stalk of the nail. The shoe 

 should be stamped coarser outside than inside, because it 

 may be necessary to leave it wider outside. Do not bend 

 the shoes in adjusting them, nor arch them ; they ought 

 to be nearly flat ; though they might be slightly curved, 

 so as to preserve the wall of the hoof. They should also 

 follow the outline of the hoof, a little more to the outside 

 than the inside. When fitting, the shoe should not be kept 

 too long a time on the hoof, for fear of heating it. With 

 this shoeing we may travel on slippery ground or grass 

 land, in using for each shoe two nails with long heads, 

 which will prevent the horse from slipping. Also during 

 frost, on paved roads, or ice or snow, use these nails, as 



