HINTS ON SHOEING. 127 



the part coming under the wall, so that the sole will not 

 touch it. No definite rule can be given by which to explain 

 just how much to cut away, or the limit. If the heels are 

 strong and upright, they should be cut down so that the 

 bearing will be level and the hoof appear natural. (See 

 cut 8.) 



The next aim is to form and fit the shoe so as to approxi- 

 mate it to the size and bearing of the foot and work of the 

 horse. If the hoof is thin shelled and the horse is not 

 worked much, the shoe should be light; but if the work is 

 hard, more weight will be necessary. No general rule will 

 apply here. The shoer is to understand that if the foot is 

 properly prepared as directed, the shoe must be made big 

 enough to just come out even with the edge of the hoof from 

 the toe to the turn of the heels, becoming a little wider at 

 the extremity of the heels, for as the foot enlarges by growth, 

 the shoe is brought forward under the heels until it loses its 

 original proportion and becomes too short and narrow, to 

 allow for which the shoe should be as much wider and lon- 

 ger than the foot at the heels (about a quarter of an inch) 

 as it is supposed the foot will grow in the time it is inten- 

 ded to keep the shoes on before being re-set. The bearing 

 surface of the shoe should be perfectly level, and only so 

 much of the shoe as comes under the 

 wall uf the hoof should touch the foot. 

 Either the foot must be prepared so 

 that the shoe cannot come down to the 

 sole, or that part of the shoe coming 

 inside the wall of the hoof must be so 

 hammered down that the sole cannot 

 possibly touch the shoe. (See cuts 

 8 and 9.) 



This requires being exact, no guess- 

 (No. 9.) Shoe, inner sur- ing or comiug *' pretty near " the thing 

 ?ontacT^tL'oVo"?o^^^^ and nailing on. The shoe should be 

 so fitted that when laid on a level sur- 

 face every part of the bearing surface would touch, and it 

 should fit equally well to the foot. 



