31 



the foot, to leave the quarters tolerably straight, and the 

 heels wide apart ; because Avhen the clip has been neatly 

 let into the front of the toe, and the toe of the shoe care- 

 fully fitted to the hoof, the quarters can be opened out 

 over the beak of the anvil, should they require it, and the 

 heels brought in, without disturbing the toe ; whereas 

 straightenuig the quarters, when they are too much rounded, 

 and too wide for the foot, and opening the heels, when 

 they approach too near each other, necessarily distorts the 

 whole shoe, and interferes with those parts, which had been 

 previously fitted, causing a needless waste of time and 

 trouble. 



It is absolutely essential in the course of this gradual 

 fitting of the shoe, that it should be applied to the foot 

 sufiiciently hot to scorch the horn, and show by blackened 

 spots those portions of the crust, which are exposed to 

 undue pressiu-e. These spots must be removed by the rasp 

 as often, as tliey shall appear, until the foot surface of the 

 shoe is found to lie close to, and plane with the ground 

 surface of the crust, which can be easily ascertained by 

 cooling the shoe, and applying it to the foot with both 

 hands, observing at the same time whether light can be 

 perceived between the crust and the shoe, if not, the fitting 

 is complete ; but if on the contrary streaks of light are 

 observable, it is evident, that the contact is imperfect, and 

 that the crust bears unequally upon the shoe, which of 

 course must be rectified : before however the shoe is finally 

 nailed on, it will be well to ascertain by placing a rasp 

 edgewise across the foot, that the ground surface is perfectly 



