162 HINTS TO THE BLACKSMITH 



qua noil, either as regards the prevention or the cure 

 of the disease. Bedding on sawdust has for the time 

 a beneficial effect, and a mixture of bluestone and 

 Stockholm tar will serve as an efficient astringent. 



The farrier should bear in mind that whatever shape 

 a horse's foot may be naturally, he must endeavour, as 

 nearly as possible, to preserve the same bearing in the 

 foot when shod. Nothing further than the month's 

 growth of horn should be removed, and this removal 

 should be effected by means of the rasp. The sole 

 should not be pared out, and the ragged and exfoliated 

 portions of it alone interfered with. The heels should 

 be left alone as Nature made them, and not chopped 

 out ; and the shoe should be made to fit the foot,, and 

 not, as is so generally the case, the foot the shoe. No 

 rasp should ever be allowed outside the foot above 

 where the nails are clenched under any circumstances 

 whatever. The shoe should follow the line of the 

 crust exactly, and be no wider in the web than 

 is absolutely necessary ; and while amply long so 

 as to prevent corns, it should not be too long. The 

 edge of the shoe and outer edge of the crust should be 

 level, and the level should be the result of a shoe 

 which fits accurately, and not brought about by the 

 use of the rasp on the edge of the crust. No shoe 

 should ever be fitted on hot. If a farrier will but bear 

 in mind these rules, and carry them out, he will rarely 

 suffer reproach from either the owner of a horse or 

 from himself 



Grease is not a complaint which is, as a rule, met 

 with in a gentleman's stable ; suffice it to say that 

 it is caused chiefly by dirt, wet, and injudicious feed- 

 ing. It is but very rarely that horses which are well 



