SHOEING. 



249 



all that was necessary, and even this much might advantageously be 

 dispensed with. 



Pitting. In many countries what is called hot-fitting, that is to say, 

 after the foot has been trimmed and leveled, momentarily applying the 

 shoe at a red heat to the foot, is generally practiced to the almost entire 

 exclusion of any other method, and the system is not only found to an- 

 swer, but receives the indorsement of the most competent authorities. 

 The climatic conditions \\'hich render the practice open to objection in 

 this hemisphere fortunately enable us to dispense with a procedure 

 against which there exists in the minds of many horse-owners a not un- 

 reasonable prejudice, which, however, is directed at the abuse rather 

 than the intelligent application of a proceeding not necessarily hurtful 



SHOE OP PROPER SHAPE, WEI.I. AD- SHOE AND NAILS. TOO LARGE. NAILS 

 JUSTED AND PROPERLY NAILED TOO MANY AND DRIVEN TOO DEEP 



ON A THREE-YEAR-OLD HORSE SHOE SET BACK TOO FAR. HOOP 



SHOD FOR THE FIRST TIME. RASPED AWAY TOO MUCH. 



in itself. The advantage conferred by hot-fitting consists in the fact 

 that a more accurate accommodation is by this means more readily ob- 

 tained than by any other method, and the contact between hoof and shoe 

 can thus be made more intimate and enduring. It moist climates it is 

 only by means of hot-fitting that a set of shoes can be made to remain 

 on for a reasonable length of time; but in no part of this country have 

 I found any difficulty of this nature; indeed, on the contrary, shoes are 

 usually allowed to remain on too long, especially in the agricultural 

 districts. 



It has frequently occurred to me, when in the discharge of my 

 duties as veterinarian to the Farmers' Institute of Minnesota, I have 

 remonstrated with some local blacksmith at the number of gigantic 

 nails he employed in aflBxing a shoe, that I have been assured that 



