CHAPTER IV. 

 SHOEING HORSES THAT FORGE AND INTERFERE. 



A. Forging. 



Forging is that defect of the horse's gait by reason of 

 which, at a trot, he strikes the ends of the branches or the 

 under surface of the front shoe with the toe of the hind shoe 

 or hoof of the same side. Forging in a pacer is termed " cross- 

 firing " and consists in striking the inner quarter, or the under 

 surface of the inner branch of a front shoe with the toe of the 

 diagonal hind shoe or hoof. 



Forging is unpleasant to hear and dangerous to the horse. 

 It is liable to wound the heels 

 of the forefeet^ damages the toes 

 or the coronet of the hind 

 hoofs, and often pulls off the 

 front shoes. 



Fig. 148. 



Right front shoe with concave ground- 

 surface ("convex iron") to prevent 

 "forging." 



Right hind shoe with lateral toe-clips to pre- 

 vent "clicking" and the various injuries due 

 to forging. 



Causes. — 1. Faulty conformation ; for example, horses that 

 stand considerably higher at the croup than at the withers ; 

 horses with long legs and short bodies ; horses that " stand 

 under " in front and behind. 2. IJising horses on heavy ground, 

 unskilful driving, allowing a long-necked, heavy-headed horse 

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