SHOES HOUNDED AT THE TOES. 93 



just SO much dished as to allow, when nailed to the crust, of a 

 picher heing freely passed all around letween it and the sole. 

 More than ordinary care should he taken to prevent the shoe 

 from pressing upon the quarters and corners of the heels. 

 I mention the quarters and the heels more particularly, because 

 it is at these points that undue pressure is to be dreaded, and 

 is so frequently the cause of lameness. It is also here, that 

 corns have their seat (see jf, Figure 11, page 85), and every 

 horseman vrell knows the danger which attends their presence. 

 A corn is a common cause of foot lameness, and occasionally of 

 the animal falling dovra. and injuring its knees. 



The flatter the sole of the foot, the more the shoe will 

 require to be dished, and the greater the care necessary to be 

 exercised by the farrier in fitting it. Horses having flat-soled 

 feet, if shod by an ignorant or careless smith, will generally be 

 found to have corns within the heels, and bruises upon the 

 soles of the feet. 



The Shoe to be Eoitnded at the Toe. — The rationale of 

 this, as a rule, will appear evident to any one, who will take the 

 trouble to examine the worn-out shoes of horses ; he will find that 

 the majority of them will be much worn at the toe. The animal 

 for several days after having been newly shod, without the toe 

 being rounded, will generally trip more than when it is 

 fashioned as directed, — a strong proof that the rule is worthy 

 of being practised. A fore foot shoe ought to be rounded at 

 the toe, and the rounded part properly hardened at the time. 



The Beaeing oe the Shoe to be TJnieohm. — This in 

 most cases is necessary. In some instances, however, it vfill be 

 expedient to give the shoe what is called "a spring" at the 

 quarters ; that is, the shoe, as it approaches the heels of the 

 foot, is to be very slightly bent from the crust. Many horses 

 having excellent fore feet, could not travel with safety unless 



