36 



Dumping : 



The system of " dumping," that is, putting 

 on a shoe too small, and afterwards cutting 

 or rasjoing off the wall of the hoof at the toe 

 to make it appear to fit, should be strictly 

 prohibited ; it is only done by beginners or 

 men who are too lazy to shorten the hoof by 

 rasping the sole at the toe. Rasping the hoof 

 in front soon ruins the shape and strength of 

 the foot. Impress on the farriers the maxim : 



The shoe to the foot, not the foot to the 

 shoe. 



Branding : 



The outside of the crust or wall of the foot 

 should never be cut or rasped, and the letters 

 and figures branded upon it, in the case of a 

 Government horse, should not be too deep. 

 Branding should be done quickly and not 

 renewed until the old marks are too low to be 

 distinguished. This branding, especially if 

 badly done, is a great source of weakness to 

 the feet, but unfortunately no other satis- 

 factory method has been found to replace it. 



Shoes should be made flat to the foot, as 

 the sole, as well as the wall, is intended to 

 bear weight. 



