202 STABLE MANUAL AND HORSE DOCTOR 



higher, the bars will contract ; if lower, it will be bruised 

 on hard roads. 



When the foot is fitted to receive the shoe, the bottom 

 somewhat resembles the hollow rim of an oval dish. Being 

 placed on a plane surface, the frog and heels should bear 

 equally, leaving the thickness of the shoe, as above ex- 

 plained, to save the frog. At the heels, for an inch of its 

 length, the rim of the shoe is to project a trifle outside the 

 hoof, lest the growing horn should cause the shoe to embed 

 itself at this part, where the substance is soft and the wear 

 little. 



Having completed our directions for the preparation of 

 the foot, we will here interpose a few paragraphs on the 

 forming of the shoe, and its material, as a more fitting 

 opportunity will not present itself. 



Malcing the Shoe. — The forge of the modern smith, in 

 addition to bars of iron of various thicknesses, from which 

 to select such as may come nearest to the size and weight 

 of shoe required, is supplied with a large assortment of 

 shoes ready made, hanging on the walls or disposed on bars. 

 These being placed horizontally, with the shoes ranged on 

 them, are much more handy to select from than when piled 

 one upon another, as is common, with a perpendicular bar 

 of iron to keep them from slipping down. The modern 

 malleable cast-iron shoes are very durable and economical. 

 In working up old shoes, one and the half of another will 

 be found an average quantit^^ for a new one. This half 

 should be laid on one side of the old shoe, then the half of 

 the entire one lapped over it ; thus, when welded into a 

 mass, the middle of the quarter of the old shoe will form 

 the toe of the new one. The hind shoes are thus made of 

 old shoes, the work not being in general so regular and neat 

 as that of the fore shoes. 



In forging the shoe from the bar, a piece is to be cut off 

 somewhat shorter than the intended shoe, to allow for ex- 

 tension under the hammer, and that there may be as little 

 waste as possible by cuttings from the heels when the shoe 

 is finished. Two or three of these pieces may be placed in 

 the fire at one time, to save fuel. With saddle horses, how- 

 ever, it is an expeditious, as well as more correct, method 

 to divide or cut the bar into pieces or lengths forming 

 pairs, according to the sizes required. The iron for these 

 shoes not being very stout, there is no difficulty in turning 



