SHOEING. 



339 



Pig. 447.— Foot Excessively 

 Pared. 



The principle is the same of leveling and preparing the feet of 

 horses that have previously been shod. In such cases, to take off 



the shoe the best method is, after the clinch- 

 ers are cut off, to raise both heels slightly 

 with the pincers, then pry forward and across 

 the foot a little, when the nails can be pulled* 

 out one by one. It is seriously objection- 

 able, as generally done, to pull off the shoe 

 by force, as the severe wrenching endangers 

 tearing the hoof and straining and injuring 

 the foot. This would be especially objec- 

 tionable, if the, hoof be thin and the horse 

 sensitive. Next, any stubs or nails should be 

 removed. 



While it is simply intended to pare down 

 the wall to its natural form, if it is thin and 

 weak, growing but little, especially at the 

 heels, where there is great difficulty to grow sufficient wall for the 

 support of the foot, no more should 'be removed than is barely ne- 

 cessary to level it. As before stated, thereshould be.no interference 

 with sole or frog, excepting to , 



chip or cut away the portion of 

 the old horn which could not be 

 exfoliated. Frequently the heels 

 are too high, or the toe too long ; 

 . in either case, whatever the ex- 

 cessive accumulation or growth 

 of horn, it, should be cut away 

 until the foot is brought back 

 to its natural form and adjust- 

 ment. Sometimes there is ex- 

 cessive accumulation to the 

 amount of half an inch or more 

 at the heels, or even of the whole 

 wall of strong, upright feet, yet 

 to the ordinary observing shoe- 

 ing-smith it may not appear ex- 

 cessive, because cutting away 

 so much would make the foot 

 appear to him to be unnaturally s.mall. Several specimens of ab- 

 normal growth of feet are given. Fig, 495, page 355, taken from 

 life, is a good representative case, and was seen by the writer at 



Fig. 448.— Foot after Four Years' Shoeing. 



