40 



inveterate cutting found the pipe-clay adhering to the outside 

 toe : in this case the poor horse ■ had been subjected to slices 

 of every conceivable shape and deformity without of course 

 any other result, than the torture arising from the twisting 

 and straining, consequent upon uneven bearing ; but the 

 moment the offending part was discovered and removed, the 

 cutting ceased : even bearing was then restored to the 

 foot ; and the horse thereby placed in comfort. 



Cuttmg Avith the fore foot is almost always to be prevented 

 by one-sided nailing, and keeping the shoe a little within 

 the edge of the crust on the inner side ; but, as this is 

 generally overdone by placing the shoe so much within, as 

 to deprive tlie crust of its requisite support, it will be 

 advisable to ascertain hj the use of pipe-clay the exact 

 point, with which the shoe strikes ; when the part, needing 

 alteration, will at once disclose itself 



The practice of shoeing horses in the stable away from 

 the forge, where there is no possibility of correcting any 

 defect in the fitting of the shoe, is so utterly opposed to 

 reason and common sense, that I should only have adverted 

 to it, as a custom of by-gone days, exploded with the use 

 of the buttress, and the notion of chest founder, if I had 

 not actually witnessed its perpetration four times within the 

 last year-, (1844,) and that too in the stables of gentlemen, 

 by no means addicted upon other matters to yield their 

 judgment a ready cajDtive to other men's prejudices. Now 

 if either of these gentlemen had happened to ask the smith, 

 " what he was doing ? " the answer would in all probability 

 have awakened him to a sudden conviction, that he was 



