SHOEING. 



681 



two little pieces of good iron or steel, about three-fourths to seven- 

 eighths of an inch long, by about three-sixteenths thick, and 

 about five-eighths of an inch wide. Cut down the end until it will 

 fit the hole in the shoe, ._ 



and rivet it, as shown 

 in Fig. 508. These are 

 now to be warmed and 

 bent, and, if necessary, 

 filed so as to lie flat 

 against both heels, and 

 just long enough to 

 come a little short of 

 touching the soft horn 

 above it. Next weaken 

 the shoe a little on both 

 sides, which may be ex- 

 tended over a much 

 larger space than shown 

 in Fig. 509; or if the 

 shoe is not very heavy, 

 it may be spread with- 

 out weakening. Reg- 

 ulate so as to come a 

 little forward of the 

 point where the hoof 

 begins to draw in. If 

 the shoe is thin, the in- 

 ner edge should bo 

 turned up and formed 

 into a clip, which, with 

 a little care, can be 

 filed and fitted. But 

 if the shoe is at all thick, it would be somewhat difficult to do 

 this; fcr if the clip is turned up so that the shoe is too large or 

 too small, a very tedious, annoying bungle would be the result. 

 In addition, it would be difficult to make the clips sufficiently 

 long to enable bringing pressure as high up against the wall as it 

 will admit, which is a very important point towards opening the 

 upper part of the hoof. 



FIG. 510. Spreaders in position to open the heels. 



