698 



SHOEING. 



Next, a thin shoe of untenipered steel, a little more than an 

 eighth of an inch thick, was made to fit accurately to the wall 

 (as shown by Fig. 537), the end being turned up for a clip, and 

 fitted nicely to its place. The part of the opposite heel of the shoe 

 coming over the corn, was entirely cut away, leaving simply suf- 

 ficient to cover the wall, which at this point was very thin. The 

 shoe was now fastened on sufficiently to hold it firmly in place, 

 but with very small nails. There was no rasping or attempt to 

 beautify the foot in any way. This is never in any case permit- 

 ted by the writer in shoeing his horses. 



Figs. 536 and 538 give a very good idea of the appearance of 



FIG. 539. 



Best forms of bar shoe. 



FIG. 540. 



the foot before and after the shoe was put on. The quarter was 

 now carefully opened back about three-eighths of an inch, without 

 causing any irritation. Nothing was put over the bruise or corn, 

 nor was it meddled with in any way. The horse was now turned 

 out to grass daily. At first he moved very tenderly, though not 

 lame. In a week the heel was again opened a little more, and 

 again at intervals until opened out as desired. In a few weeks 

 the tenderness, fever, and inflammation subsided ; and at the ex- 

 piration of three months the corn was entirely cured, there being 

 a healthy growth of sole over the part, leaving only a slight touch 

 of redness on account of not being entirely grown out. The con- 

 tracted quarter was also out in its natural position, the change for 

 the better in all respects being very gratifying. An ordinary fiat 



