SHOEING. 



to form against the foot, and become a cause of soreness and in- 

 flammation. On the other hand, should the sole be excessively 

 long and stiff, there will 

 be correspondingly in- 

 creased strain brought upon 

 the ankle and great ten- 

 don at the heel, causing 

 fatigue and inj ur.y . Again , 

 if the heel is too narrow or 

 drawn in too much on one 

 side, the surface of resist- 

 ance being thereby less- 

 ened, it wears down more 

 rapidly and runs over. 



To remedy this, it is nec- 

 essary to make the adjust- 

 ment of the shoe to conform 

 to the line of bearing of 

 the foot ; that is, low heels, 



with broad, elastic sole, an 



increase of the bearing surface 



of that side, and, if necessary, 

 a drawing in or narrowing of 

 the opposite side sufficient to 

 equalize the line of bearing. 

 The principle is the same in re- 

 storing or preserving the ad- 

 justment of the horse's foot ; 

 consequently properly cutting 

 away and leveling the foot, and 

 adjusting the shoe to it so that 

 the bearing surface will be ex- 

 actly the same from the center 

 outward on each side, and of 

 the right length, requires con- 

 siderable skill and judgment. 



Again, the foot is continually 

 growing wider and longer, so 

 FIG. 446. Toe too short. that after being shod, propor- 



FIG. 445. Toe too long. 



