Shoeing the Saddle- Horse. 



No horse should be sent to the forge unless at- 

 tended by some one who knows how it should be 

 shod, for even if the smith understands his business 

 — a violent presumption, it is not likely that he will 

 take the trouble that must be required for properly 

 doing his work, if left to his own devices. 



In the first place, all of the hoofs should be pre- 

 pared for the shoes, so that the horse has a perfectly 

 level bearing. The toes of the horse should point 

 forward, and the slope of the hoof over the toe 

 should conform to the slope of the pastern. In 

 order that the horse may have safe action, it is 

 imperatively necessary that the hoofs should be 

 properly prepared, for any defect that is in the 

 bare foot will be magnified in effect when the 

 shoe is applied. If the horse turns out a toe, 

 the wall of the hoof is too high on the outside ; 

 if the toe is turned in, the wall of the inside of the 

 hoof is too high. It is almost impossible to trim 

 the hoof by the eye so that the bearing will be per- 



