THE HINDER SHOE DIFFERENT KINDS OF SHOES. 347 



inasmuch as they press upon the crust as it grows down, and they 

 should only be used when circumstances absolutely require them. 

 In the hunter's shoe they are not required at the sides. One at 

 the toe is sufficient. 



THE HINDER SHOE. 



In forming the hinder shoes it should be remembered that 

 the hind limbs are the principal instruments in progri.-ssion, and 

 that in every act of progression, except the walk, the toe is the 

 point on which the whole frame of the animal turns, and from 

 •which it is propelled. This part, then, should be strengthened 

 as much as possible ; and, therefore, the hinder shoes are made 

 broader at the toe than the fore ones. Another good effect is 

 produced by this, that, the hinder foot being shortened, there is 

 less danger of over-reaching, forging, or clinking, and especially 

 if the shoe is wider on the foot surface than on the ground one. 

 The shoe is thus made to slope inward, aaid is a little within the 

 toe of the crust. 



The shape of the hinder foot is somewhat different &om that of 

 the fore foot. It is straighter in the quarters, and the shoe must 

 have the same form. For carriage- and draught-horses generally, 

 calkins may be put on the heels, T)ecause the animal will be thus 

 enabled to dig his toe more firmly into the ground, and urge him 

 self forward, and throw his weight into the collar with greater 

 advantage : but the calkins must not be too high, and they must 

 be of an equal height on each heel, otherwise, as has been stated 

 with regard to the fore feet, the weight will not be fairly dis- 

 tributed over the foot, and some part of the foot or the leg will 

 materially suffer. The nails in the hinder shoe may be placed 

 nearer to the heel than in the fore shoe, because, from the com- 

 paratively little weight and concussion thrown on the hinder feet, 

 there is not so much danger of contraction. 



DIFFERENT KINDS OF SHOES. 



The shoe must vary in substance and weight with the kind of 

 foot, and the nature of the work. A weak foot should never 

 wear a heavy shoe, nor any foot a shoe that will last longer than 

 a month. Here, perhaps, we may '^e permitted to caution the 

 horse-proprietor against having his cattle shod by contract, un- 

 less he binds his farrier'^or veterinary surgeon to remove the shoes 

 once at least in every month ; for if the contractor, by a heavy 

 shoe, and a little steel, can ca.use five or six weeks to intervene 

 between the shoeings, he will do so, although the foet of the 

 horse must necessarily suffer. The shoe should never be heavier 



