THE HIND-SHOE. 39 



jointSj with these heels to their hind-shoes^ than 

 they have with any others that I have tried. 



The toe of the hind-shoe is exposed to great 

 wear, and should be made stout and thick, and 

 rather pointed, with a small clip in the middle, to 

 prevent the shoe from being driven backward; and 

 the back-edge of the web should be rounded off, 

 to guard against " overreach." The toe should rest 

 fairly on the ground, to enable the horse to get 

 a good purchase for throwing his weight forward. 

 It is a bad plan to make the toe broad and to place 

 clips at the side of it ; it is almost sure to cause the 

 very evil it was intended to prevent, by making the 

 horse "forge," as it is called. 



Many persons think that "forging" is caused 

 by the front of the toe of the hind-shoe striking 

 against the heel of the fore-shoe ; but that is a 

 mistake. The sound is produced in this way : when 

 the horse raises his fore-foot from the ground and 

 does not instantly throw it forward, but dwells in 

 the action, the hind-foot, following quickly, is 

 forced into the opening of the fore-shoe before 



