244 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM. 



which would be inflicted by the toe of the hind- 

 shoe. The injury is really done by the inside edge 

 of the toe of the hind-shoe. Where a hind-shoe is 

 made flat, if its edge is felt it will be at once seen 

 how sharp the latter is ; and it becomes more so the 

 more the shoe is worn. It will be observed, too, 

 that the shape of the cut exactly corresponds in 

 shape with this edge. The edge, therefore, must 

 be removed, and all hind-shoes should be made 

 quite round on their inner edges, as round as it is 

 possible to make them. If roughly done, they will 

 soon wear to a sharp edge ; but if this is properly 

 carried out, even should a horse hit himself, he will 

 not cut. An overreach is a nasty and troublesome 

 thing to cure, and I have seen horses whose heels 

 have been completely cut off by reason of their hind- 

 shoes having been improperly made. ' Clicking ' or 

 ' forging,' as it is termed, viz., the hind shoe striking 

 against the edge of the fore, is also prevented by 

 the use of bevelled shoes, such as I have described. 

 Grooms should be tauo-ht to be careful to 

 examine the shoes of their horses, both before and 

 after work, and to see that they are on firmly, and 

 that they have not shifted, and also that the 

 clinches have not risen. Anything which is wrong 

 should be immediately rectified. Can anything be 

 more provoking than to discover, just as a horse is 



