CHAP. IV.] BRITTLE HOOF. PREPARED SOLE. 507 



cleared out by means of a knife having a sharp 

 return at the extremity ; but it must be evident that 

 if the cleft has incurred no foulness, nor the frog 

 grown luxuriantly, neither the one nor the other 

 will require the least reduction. We will not say 

 a word on the necessity of removing the rotten 

 overgrown horn at the toe, and round to the quar- 

 ters, so as to obtain a proper seat or bearing upon 

 the shoe, this being an affair within every one's 

 compass; but the rasping should always proceed 

 with the shoe lying before the workman's eyes, 

 unless when he may find it necessary to take it to 

 the fire for the purpose of making alterations. The 

 habit of doing this to a nicety with a single heat 

 may be acquired without going to the fire half a 

 dozen times, as we see done ; least of all should 

 the shoe be tried on hot, that the most ignorant of 

 workmen may see where it bears most, or the least 

 industrious lessen his labour by softening the horn. 

 Ruinous consequences attend the application of fire 

 to the feet ; and yet we remember the period when 

 it was the common practice to place a shovel of 

 hot coals on brittle hoof to ease the workman's 

 labour ! 



When a foot is fitted to receive the, shoe, the 

 bottom resembles somewhat the hollow and rim of 

 an oval dish. On being placed on a plane surface, 

 the frog and heels bear equally ; but when the shoe 

 is applied, the frog is raised by as much as the 

 thickness of the shoe may be at the heel. At the 

 heels, for about an inch of its length, the rim of 



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