GREAT BRITAIN. 295 



The regulations permit all officers to hire horses for £10 

 per annum, and officers under the rank of lieutenant colonel 

 to purchase remounts, under certain conditions, but the 

 revision of these rules is now under consideration. 



COURSE OF INSTEUCTION OF SOLDIERS IX SHOEING. 



[Ki'Siiliitions for Array A'eterinary Service, Appendix VIII.] 



Instruction 1. — The easiest and safest method of seizing, lifting, and 

 holding the horses' front and hind feet, as in the operation of shoeing. 



Note. — This instruction should be carried out on old steady horses, and 

 particular care should be observed in showing how the shoer is to manage 

 a restless or vicious horse, and the precautions to be adopted to guard 

 himself from injury. Patient and gentle treatment should be inculcated. 



How to shoe troublesome horses with the side line on the hind leg is 

 also to be taught. 



Instruction 2. — The best and most expeditioiis way to take off fore and 

 hind shoes. 



Note. — Completely cut off all the clinches, insert pincers between shoe 

 and hoof, toward the extremity of inside heel, pry steadily and firmly 

 dowaiward and across the foot to start heel nails, and withdraw these; 

 then apply pincers to outside heel in the same manner, withdrawing nails, 

 and so on until the shoe is off. 



Show how to remove broken nails from the hoof when the shoe is off ; 

 and also how to take off shoe from a painful foot, by driving the nails 

 downward from the front of the hoof and withdrawing them one by one. 



Instruction 3. — How to handle the rasp, and reduce the wall of the 

 hoof properly to its normal dimensions. 



Note. — The proper length and natural slope of the wall are to be shown, 

 and the method of obtaining these in an overgrown hoof demonstrated. 

 This is important. Hoof to be made quite level on the ground surface, 

 which should have a wide and solid bearing for the shoe to rest upon. 

 The sides of the hoof should be eqvial in height, so as to keep leg and foot 

 in a straight direction. Toe of hoof well shortened ; heels not too much 

 lowered. Sole and frog to remain strong and unpared, loose fragments 

 only being removed. Edge of the wall to be rounded. 



Instruction 4. — How to fit a shoe projierly and quickly. 



A off.— As it is not possible to provide shoes to fit all hoofs exactly — 

 these varying greatly in size and form — the number of the size required 

 should be explained, and if alteration in length or shape is needed how 

 this should be effected — making the shoe narrower or wider, more elon- 

 gated or more circular, as the shape of the hoof may demand. The shoe 

 should fit the full outline of the hoof. A small portion of the horn must 

 be removed at the toe of the fore foot, sides of toe of hind foot, to effect 

 this and to lodge the clip. If the alteration is made on the anvil, it should 

 be by a series of firm, steady, and not too heavy blows of the hammer. 

 When altered to the proper shape, the shoe should be made perfectly level 

 by hammering it lightly on the svirface ; this also makes it wear better. 



Instruct how to alter shoes without an anvil, as on the tire or nave of a 

 cart wheel, stone, etc. 



Nail holes to be easy for the neck of nails ; if too tight widen from the 

 fuller surface, not the back of the shoe. With holes too tight, the nails 

 break at the neck. Show how to narrow or close fuller, so as to allow 

 smaller nails to be used in case of necessity. 



There shoiald be solid and close coadaptation between the surface of 

 Tioof and shoe, to insure the latter being well retained. Shoe to rest on 



