380 



SHOEING. 



Fig. 564— Badly Contracted Fool. The Lines B B 

 ShoW the Degree to which the Foot may 

 in Time be Spread. 



to a faulty conformation, to weak- 

 ness, or 4:o disease. In seeking to 

 remedy the defect, we must en- 

 deavor to discover its cause. If it 

 is due to defective form, we may 

 so adjust the hoofs and apply the 

 shoes that the feet shall be placed 

 upon the ground in such relation 

 to the body as to modify in some 

 measure the , fault of form. In 

 some cases the toes of the forward 

 feet must be reduced all that is 

 possible, and the toes of the, hind 

 feet lengthened. In others, weights 

 or heavy shoes' upon the forward 

 feet answer a good purpose. In 

 some, weights upon the outside of 

 the hind feet Overcome the diffi- 

 culty;. 



If the hind feet are placed upon 

 the ground well forward when the 

 animal is at rest, heel-calks of 

 extra length will be found useful. 

 Weakness, as a cause of click- 

 ing, is shown in colts and in horses 



that have diseased hind feet. In the first, the animal is not able, or has- not learned, 



to dwell upon the hind feet to give to the body that forward impulse that comes 



from the long push; in the second, pain prevents the extension. In the case of the 



colt, shoeing must be supplemented by good 



driving, — the animal should be kept up to 



the bit, and the head well checked up, and 



should not be fatigued 'by overdriving. In 



the case Where the clicking depends upon a 



diseased condition of the foot or leg, the 



removal of the cause is the indication. As 



general rules for the prevention of clicking, 



the toe of the forward hoof should be re- 

 duced all that it will bear ; the shoe should 



be short, both at the toe and heel ; the heels 



of the shoe should be beveled at the expense 



of its ground surface ; when the toe should 



be beveled, giving the shoe, when applied, 



the appearance of one partly worn. In many 



cases concaving the ground surface of the 



shoe is useful. If the toes are long and the 



heels extremely low, thick-heeled shoes or 



heel-calks are indicated. 

 The hind shoes should be light, and long 



at the heels,- giving the heels of the shoe as 



wide a bearing -as possible. In case the toe 



Fig. 565.— Simple. Form of Shoe for 

 Spreading the Quarters. 



