SHOEING. 



703 



FIG. 545. Original shoe fitted 

 with plate on. 



bend the bar down, so as to enable a more accurate line of ad- 

 justment to the wall and frog. If an arch becomes so weak that 

 it settles under the weight upon it, 

 the only safe or reasonable alterna- 

 tive would be to support it. In like 

 manner, when the sole becomes so 

 weak that it settles down, it must 

 be given contact with the ground, 

 or supported by the use of a bar 

 shoe. 



When in Massachusetts, in 1876, 

 a leading horseman called my atten- 

 tion to a fast-trotting stallion that 

 had weak feet, and which caused 

 him a great deal of trouble. He 

 wished to know how to shoe them 

 so as to improve their condition. I 

 found the feet in good shape, but the sole and wall were very 

 thin and weak, the effect, undoubtedly, of the horse being slightly 

 foundered or overheated. I advised putting on a shoe that would 



support the sole and frog, the space 

 between the shoe and frog to be 

 packed with oakum, and the use of 

 hoof liniment to grow a tougher and 

 better condition of horn. He ob- 

 jected, that this would not do, as 

 the horse would not bear any press- 

 ure at all upon the sole. Some time 

 afterward my attention was called 

 to a very high indorsement from 

 this gentleman, of a certain form of 

 patent shoe, that had been used on 

 this horse. It stated that it enabled 

 the horse to travel as well as ever, 

 and that its utility was all that could 

 be desired. I was interested to know just what kind of a shoe had 

 been used, and when again in that vicinity, at considerable trouble 

 found one, of which I give an accurate drawing. (See Fig. 545.) 

 While it may be evident that in many such cases the shoe could 



FIG. 546. The same with plate 

 removed. 



