38 



it from the ground ; to effect this, he is obUged to raise it in 

 a direction inclining upwards and backwards, and if he happen 

 to dwell in the performance of this preliminary movement, the 

 hind foot, which is propelled forwards and down^vards, to be 

 deposited beyond the spot, that was the moment before 

 occupied by the fore foot, comes into collision with it, and 

 forces the toe, clip and all into the hollow of the fore foot, 

 turned up ready to receive it. Now in doing tliis the clip is 

 not brought into immediate contact with iron, but is struck 

 against either sole, or frog, as the case may be, and cannot 

 produce any very audible sound : the truth is, that the 

 offensive noise is caused by the meeting of the edges of the 

 two shoes at the points, where the hind shoe is stopped 

 from entering further into the opening of the fore shoe. 

 These points of contact are almost always indicated by a 

 brio-ht spot on each side of the rim of the hind shoe, and 

 are generally to be found at the extremities of the toe on 

 either side, just where the shoe begins to turn backwards ; 

 and the surest mode of remedying the evil is to remove 

 the portions of horn, which correspond to the marks on the 

 shoe, and to make the toe of the shoe narrower and more 

 pointed, than is usually done : it is a good plan always 

 to make the front of the toe of tlie hind shoe to inchne 

 a little backward, as it approaches the ground, so as to 

 place the ground surface somewhat further back, than the 

 foot surface. 



There is one other circumstance, connected witli the toe 

 of the hind shoe, deserving of notice ; I allude to that 

 part, with which a horse inflicts upon himself the injury, 



