168 SHOEING COLTS. 



when you raise the heel, and throw increased strain upon 

 the tendons on the forward side of the leg, you do it to 

 remove pressure and strain from the tendons, and soreness at 

 the heel or under the frog. When the foot is healthy, keep 

 the bearing natural, a simple level bearing, preserving the 

 health, activity, and strength of the sole and frog by occa- 

 sional possible contact with the ground. If the foot is con- 

 tracting, by all means throw the heel to the ground, but keep 

 the foot soft as you can, and use a convex shoe. 



SHOEING COLTS. 



You should not shoe colts until compelled to by the feet 

 wearing down too much. About the first thing the farmer 

 thinks necessary to do, when he wishes to break a colt, is to 

 have big shoes put on. Remember, at best, shoes are unnat- 

 ural, and a cause of injury to the feet ; and the longer the 

 feet will wear without shoes, the better. When you must put 

 on shoes, let them be simple flat ones, or better, little more 

 than tips, or thin-heeled shoes, that will permit about the same 

 pressure, or nearly so, of the frog upon the ground, there was 

 before being shod, and nail in the toe, and never to but one 

 quarter. The common custom is to put on big, strong shoes, 

 with high corks, and nail them on firmly. The frog is, in con- 

 sequence, raised unnaturally high from the ground. It be- 

 comes dry and hard : as the foot grows, the quarters are held 

 firmly to the shoe, and cannot spread, or act naturally. There 

 is an unnatural restraint upon the quarters, that is increased 

 as the foot grows. The feet soon become hard and con- 

 tracted, 'and, before being fully grown, are weakened and 

 suffering from some one of the common causes of malformation 

 and injury that ruins the horse. Do not meddle with your 

 colt's feet by putting shoes on them, so long as the feet 

 remain strong and good, no matter how much you drive and 

 use them. TBIM OOMB , FBBTf 



You should look to the colt's feet, and have them trimmed 

 down, if the hoof is growing long and out of shape. They 

 are liable to split up ; and, if not, the foot is likely to grow 

 out of shape. Have them cut down level, and round the 

 toe a little. 



WHAT YOU SHOULD WOT PEKMIT. 



No rasping of the outside of the hoof, no large, stiff nails 



