102 SHOEING. 



soon works loose. When the shoe has been fitted and the 

 nails clinched, insist that rasping, painting or oiling the foot 

 to improve its appearance or make a neat job be left un- 

 done. In its natural state the entire hoof is kept covered by a 

 secretion which cannot be improved upon by man, and which 

 preserves the moisture of the foot. To destroy this by mixing 

 with it some foreign compound, or to cut off the minute tubes 

 which constitute the shell of the foot, is the worst of folly. 



Interfering may be prevented at times by proper shoeing. 

 The outside of the heel and quarter of the foot on the in- 

 jured leg should be lowered slightly to change the relative 

 position of the fetlock joint, thus carrying it in such a posi- 

 tion that its mate may pass without striking it. A very 

 slight change will produce this result frequently. The 

 offending foot should be shod so that the shoe, and especially 

 the responsible point, is well under the hoof, and the shoe 

 should be reset every three or four weeks. Frequent wet- 

 ting of the injured parts with cold water or salt and water 

 will remove the soreness and swelling unless the part is 

 badly calloused. A Spanish fly blister may then be neces- 

 sary to reduce the leg to its naturaf condition, and may need 

 to be repeated in two or three weeks. 



When a horse is in the habit of forging or striking his 

 hind feet against his fore ones, careful attention should be 

 given to the shoeing. It is due to quick action behind and 

 slow action in front. Shorten the toes of the fore feet and 

 put on light, nicely fitted and turned up shoes. Do the 

 same with the hind feet, but put on shoes somewhat heavier 

 than the fore ones. By this arrangement the horse will pick 

 up his fore feet quicker and the hind feet slower, thus ac- 

 complishing just what is wanted. If a quarter of a second 

 of time is thereby gained the fore foot will be clear out of 

 the way of the hind foot. 





