46U 



THE HORSE. 



it ; only take cai-e that the web is not too narrow, and that the 

 shoe is not too liglit. A light shoe is apt to bend before it is 

 half worn out ; and the pain caused by tlie pressure of the bent 

 nails against the tender lining of the hoof throws the horse 

 down, and most likely breaks his knees. If the foot should be 

 flat, with a weak, brittle crust, you must still 

 Figure B. choose a stout shoe ; for a horse with such a foot 

 could not go at all upon a bent shoe ; and the shoe 

 must have a wide web, because the sole is sure to 

 be thin and will need plenty of cover to protect 

 it. 



You must also look to the seating ; for, if the 

 foot is weak and flat, the shoe must be well seated 

 out, to prevent its pressing upon and bruising the 

 sole ; but if the foot is strong, and the sole arched, 

 there need not be more seatmg than will allow 

 the jDoint of a picker to pass freely round between 

 the sole and the shoe; otherwise dirt and small 

 stones will get in, and bruise the sole as much as 

 the shoe would do if it pressed upon it. 



Cutting off the Heels. — Having fixed upon 



a shoe to your mind, begin by cutting otf the 



you will find a half-round cliisel a better tool 



j>i^^^e2. ^^^' ^^^6 purpose than a 



straight one, because you 



should never cut them off 



will find it impossible to 

 fit the shoe properly to 

 the heels, and at the same 

 time keep the web as wide 

 at the heels as it is at the 

 toe ; for one of the corners 

 of the shoe will be stick- 

 into the frog, while the 

 other stands out beyond 

 the crust; but if you cut 

 them off as shown in fig- 

 have no difficulty in bringing every part of the 



heels 



you wil 



