94 TIPS AND TOE-WEIGHTS. 



shod for the past six years, by reading extracts from journals. For 

 six yeai'S he had worn tips, with a few exceptions. Twice full shoes 

 had been put on in front, and at other times three-quarter shoes, but 

 with the two exceptions the inside quarter had been bare. The 

 three-quarter shoes had been put on for the purpose of testing the 

 effect on the action, and not for any necessity for protection. From 

 August 17, 1880, until October 4, 1881, he was driven without either 

 tips or shoes on his hind feet, and it was rai*e that there was a day 

 during the time when he was not driven. The tips which he had on 

 were set the 19th of January; and, as was stated in the pi*evious 

 article, there had been so mucli growth of the horn that the toes 

 were too long. The guage showed that there had been a trifle more 

 growth at the heel than the wear. On the 16th of February the tips 

 were pulled oflf and the extra horn pared away. There was a slight 

 discoloration immediately under the iron, but this was very shallow, 

 and my friend remarked that the hoof was in capital shape ; and, 

 doubtless, I had some kind of hoof ointment which was the means of 

 keeping it in such fine condition. I assured him that the day of all 

 these nostrums had passed away, so far as I was concerned. 



Soaking-tubs were discarded, and only at rare intervals was a wet 

 sponge applied to the hoof. The place for the reception of the tip 

 was cut, leaving the shoulder which the end of it was to rest against 

 nearly half an inch in depth. It was a work of some time to prop- 

 erly prepare it for the tip, and it is a job which always " starts the 

 sweat " in streams. The trouble is to get a true bearing, and this is 

 far more difficult than when a full shoe is to be put on. In this lat- 

 ter case, the eye tells at a glance if it'is " out of wind," whereas the 

 shoulders are in the way, and the plan followed is to make the foot 

 surface of the tip as true as I can file it, and then make the horn 

 comport with the tip. Of course, the outside of the tip is fitted to 

 the wall before the surface-filing is done. When the tip was nailed 

 on, the shoulder was an eighth of an inch above the gr^nd surface 

 of the tip when the foot was held between the knees, and this had 



to be cut away to give the proper bearing. " Now, Mr. J ," I 



remarked, "you will see a foot which has travelled over these Oak- 

 land streets for six years, besides galloping with the trotters, trained 



