HORSESHOEING. 151 



Before the shoes are nailed on, the normal punch should be oiled 

 and driven into the calk-holes, and the calks passed into the holes to 

 see that they fit perfectly. 



The calks are driven into place after the shoes are nailed to the 

 hoofs. A light blow is sufficient to fasten a calk, yet a necessary 

 precaution is first to remove every trace of oil from the calks and calk- 

 holes. The first calk driven into place must be held with the hand 

 while the second is being diiven, otherwise it will either spring from 

 the calk-hole or be loosened so that it will soon afterwards be lost. 



To remove such a calk we strike its head from different sides with 

 a hammer, stone, or other hard object until it becomes loose, when a 

 rather hai-d blow upon the shoe causes it to spring out. Calks which 

 have worn do\TO are seized by a pair of sharp nippers and loosened by 

 blows upon the shoe. Since a calk which is firm soon rusts and is then 

 veiy difficult to remove, it is recommended that all caJks be removed 

 eveiy night. 



The advantages of peg-calks over screw-calks are: 1. They do not 

 break off. 2. They are easier to make and simpler to use. 3. They 

 are cheaper. 



Disadvantages. — 1. Peg-calks are sometimes lost, even when 

 properly made and most carefully introduced. This evil happens 

 much less frequently when the calks are put in by the maker (lioi-se- 

 shoer) than when they are stuck in by the coachman, attendant, rider, 

 or other pei-son. When calks are lost on the way from the shop, it is 

 usually due to some fault in the calk-holes or in the calks, although 

 when the feet are balled with snow the calks are easily lost, because 

 they do not then touch the ground. 



2. The removal of the calks often involves many difficulties, since 

 they are apt to rust into place if not removed daily, and when worn 

 down so far that they cannot be grasped with the pincers are almost 

 impossible to remove. By hammering upon the calks and shoe many 

 horses are rendered not only restive, but sensitive in the feet. 



3. If hoi-ses are used without the calks, a wire-edge forms around 

 the hole on the bottom of the shoe, which interferes with the placing 

 of the calk and lessens its security. 



The hollow peg-calk (Fig. 168), made by Branscheid & 

 Philippi, of Remscheid, has considerable merit. It holds ex- 

 ceeding:ly well, and is very durable. It is furnished in three 

 sizes, — Nos. 12, 13, and 14, — of twenty-seven, thirty-one, and 

 thirty-four millimetres leng;th, and twelve, thirteen, and four- 

 teen millimetres diameter at the end of the tap. 



