U2 THE HORSE 



The sole, again, needs only to be left alone, and 

 should on no account be pared or interfered with. 



The frog, like the sole, exfoliates in flakes, and 

 therefore also needs no paring. Curiously enough, 

 without pressure and friction the frog will shiivel 

 and almost cease to exist, and it can only be kept in 

 a healthy state by allowing it to touch the ground, 

 as mentioned above. If the frog is abeady in an 

 unhealthy condition, and is the seat of thrush, it 

 may be necessary to trim off ragged ends ; but 

 this should be no excuse for paring it down. 



Horses should, as a rule, be shod once a month 

 with new shoes. If theu' work is of a light nature 

 and mostly slow, or on soft ground, it will not be 

 necessary to renew the shoes more than once in 

 six or eight weeks ; but under these circumstances 

 the shoes should be removed at the end of three 

 or four weeks, in order that the crust may be 

 pared and the shoe shaped before being reapplied. 

 A better method still is to have new, thin shoes 

 (as thin as is compatible with the amount of wear 

 required) every month ; but it is more costly than 

 the former method. Tips requii^e removing every 

 fortnight ; but in spite of this drawback their use 

 is much to be recommended, as there is no doubt 

 that the foot will be kept in a sounder, healthier 



