FORGING, OVER-REACHING 45 



the front shoes has a tendency to enable a horse 

 to raise his feet from the ground more quickly, 

 and is an aid. It is well, however, not to resort 

 to artificial measures more than necessary. It 

 is best, in fact, to keep the feet in as natural a 

 condition as the circumstances of the case will 

 permit. But in order to overcome forging in 

 some horses, either as a temporary or permanent 

 expedient, the principle to pursue is to encourage 

 slow or dwelling movement of the hind feet, in 

 order to allow the fore ones to get out of their 

 way. 



The most effectual way of doing this is to 

 raise the toes of the hind feet and lower the 

 heels. The toes can be raised either by thicken- 

 ing the shoe at the toe or putting on a toe piece. 

 Allowing the toes of the hind hoofs to grow long 

 is an aid, and gives opportunity for setting the 

 shoes back, so as to do away with or lessen the 

 noise of "clicking." 



"Forging" is not an unsoundness, but it is a 

 defect or fault, as bad action is. 



