334 



SHOEING. 



Fig. 



438. — Horizontal Section of 

 the Horny Frog. 



Horn tubes: b, Cells between 

 tubes. 



rounded a little, and the colt driven barefoot; It is noticeable that ex- 

 cessive wear is always ,at the toe, and 

 that the heels rarely suffer, even on 

 bad roads, arid this being true, tips or 

 thin steel plates only should be used; 

 and that thick and high heeled shoes 

 are not only certainly unnecessary 

 but seriously injurious — that, in fact, 

 in all cases the best shoeing for the 

 feet, for, all roads and seasons, when 

 in a good condition of health, must 

 be such as will 

 permit them 

 to be as nearly 



barefoot as possible, or, at least, that the 



posterior part is so, yet sustaining the attri- 

 tion, of wear to which they may be subjected, 



prevent slipping, and best preserve the 



natural adjustment of the feet. 



Tips or Thin Shoes. ' 

 If tips or, thin steel plates are to be used, 



simply trim off the wall in front down to a 



level with the sole, and adjust to, and nail on, 



with four small nails, a small thin strip of 



steel or iron a little broader than the thick- 

 ness Of the wall. Steel would be best, be j 



cause it admits, of being made lighter, and 



wears longer. The heels and frog should 



not be interfered with unless one heel is 



much higher than the other, when it should 



be lowered sufficiently to restore the proper 



adjustment. The objectiqn to tips is that, 



as the toe is growing, the heels are wearing, 



which in time would be likely to increase 



the strain upon the flexor tendon and its 



appendages. This disproportion of wear 



would be more rapid and noticeable should 



the roads be wet and gravelly, as moisture 



and grit soften the horn and cause it to 



break and wear away more rapidly, but not 



so much as may be supposed on paved 



streets and mud roads. The writer saw v 



Fie. 439.— Horizontal Section 

 of Horny Wall Enlarged. 



a, Wall with horny tubes; 

 b, Horn tubes; c, Horn lam- 

 inae. , 



