MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS. 249 



will be drawn to the side. The leg on the opposite side being tied up, 

 when the cord is pulled upon the horse must roll over on his side. 

 This plan will enable throwing a horse very easily, and will enable 

 doing all that is possible to do by this principle of subjection. 



SHOEING. 



In the first place the object of trimming and fitting the foot for the 

 shoe is to bring it back to its natural shape and bearing. If the foot 

 is healthy, the safest course is not to touch the frog or sole, but cut 

 down the wall from the heel to the toe until the bearing is natural. 

 The bearing of the shell or hoof should be level. The shoe should 

 be made to fit the foot, only so much longer as the foot will grow in 

 the time it is expected to be on. The bearing surface of the shoe 

 should be level, and fit exactly all the way roui\d to the foot. This 

 means just what is said; and the owner should see that the shoe is 

 level at the heels, and not beveled-in cup shape, as shoes will usually 

 be found when ready to be nailed on. Next see that the shoe is as big 

 as the foot. The best way is to sternly object to allowing the foot to 

 be touched with a red-hot shoe, and never on any conditions to allow 

 the shoe to be burned into the foot to fit it. 



Let the nail holes be as well forward in the toe as possible ; at all 

 events, do not allow the nails to go into but one heel. 



Do not, under any circumstances, allow any rasping under nail 

 clenches, and none over them ; no filing at all on the outside of the 

 hoof, not even below the clinches, excepting enough down near the 

 shoe to round the edge, but on no account should the hoof be cut 

 down to the shoe, because the shoe happens to be small or short. 

 This sort of work must not be allowed, yet it is just what all country 

 shoers will insist on doing. Simply let the nails be cut off with nip- 

 pers, clenched down upon the outside of the horn, and if there is any 

 soreness or tenderness the hammering should be light, and carefully 

 done. As to corks, &c., their object is to prevent slipping. In a state 

 of health the nearer the foot is to the ground the better. If the feet 

 are getting dry and hard, you should take measures to keep them 

 damp, flaxseed wet with water, stuffing or buckling a couple of 

 thicknesses of wet blanket around the foot. The simplest way is to 

 throw some water on the bedding under fore feet during the day. 



CONTRACTION. 



If in a state of health the object should be to keep the feet natural 

 and healthy, the object now should be to bring the foot back to its 

 natural shape. If one heel is drawn in, then this heel only should be 

 brought back natural. If both heels are drawn in, then both should 

 be spread 'back. Two conditions now become necessary : first, that 

 the foot is prepared properly ; and second, that we have mechanical 

 means that will enable spreading the heels without injury, yet as 

 desired. The practice of sawing between the heels and frog, and then 

 putting on an expansion shoe and spreading the quarters outward 

 violently, is exceedingly cruel and dangerous. In the first place, if the 

 object is to weaken the horn between bar and frog, it can be done but 



