HORSESHOEING. 93 



governing the manner of taking hold of the feet, and of after- 

 wards manipulating them, are of vahie. 



A shoer should never grasp a foot suddenly, or with both, 

 hands. The horse should first be prej^ared for this act. First 

 see that the horse stands in 'such a position that he can bear his 

 weight comfortably upon three legs. This is well worth notic- 

 ing, and if the horse does not voluntarily assume such an easy 

 position, move him gently until his feet are well under his body. 



If the shoer, for example, wishes to raise the left fore foot 

 for inspection, he stands on the left side facing the animal, 

 speaks quietly to him, places the palm of the right hand flat 

 upon the animal's shoulder, and, at the same time, with tlie left 

 hand strokes the limb do^vnward to the cannon and seizes the 

 cannon from, in front. With the right hand he now gently 

 presses the horse towards the opposite side, and the foot be- 

 coming loose as the weight is shifted upon the other leg, he lifts 

 it from the ground. The right hand now grasps the pastern 

 from the inside followed by the left hand upon the inside and 

 the right hand on the outside; then, turning partly to the 

 right, the holder supports the horse's leg upon his left leg, in 

 which position he should always stand as quietly and firmly as 

 possible. If, now, the shoer desires to have both hands free 

 to work upon the hoof, he grasps the toe with the left hand in 

 such a manner that the toe rests firmly in the palm while the 

 four fingers are closely applied to the wall of the toe, takes a 

 half step toward the rear, passes the hoof behind his left knee 

 into his right hand which has been passed backward between 

 his knees to receive it, and drawing the hoof forward outward 

 and upward supports it firmly on his two knees, — the legs just 

 above the knees being applied tightly against the pastern. The 

 forefoot should not be raised higher than the knee (carpus), 

 nor the hind foot higher than the hock, nor either foot be dra^vn 

 too far backward. The correct standing position of the shoer 

 or floorman while holding a front foot is sho^vn in Fig. 91. 

 Shortness of stature (5'-5'.6'''') is desirable in a floorman. 



