26 NATURE STUDY LESSONS FOR PRIMARY GRADES 



against the hard ground or pavement ? (They must 

 be strong and hard.) Should you not think that 

 they would wear off ? Look at horses' hoofs. (The 

 lower part of some hoofs looks ragged.) Do you ever 

 lose part of your nails ? (Yes, mamma cuts the ends 

 off.) Then do they stay short ? (No, they grow out 

 again.) So the horse's hoofs or nails wear off and 

 grow out again as your nails do. It is better for 

 the horse to have his nails trimmed, as you have 

 yours, but sometimes they are allowed to grow 

 rough like those we have noticed. 



How do horses keep from slipping on ice? 

 (They wear iron or steel shoes usually.) [Teacher 

 has a shoe in the class.] How are these shoes put 

 on to the horse? [Visit a blacksmith shop if pos- 

 sible.] Does it hurt the horse to have the shoes 

 nailed to his hoof ? Does it hurt you to have your 

 finger nails cut? Neither does it hurt the horse 

 to have nails driven into his hoofs. How many 

 nails are put in ? How are they driven through 

 the shoes ? [Children notice the holes for nails, 

 in the shoe.] What are these three sharp pieces — 

 two at the heel and one at the toe — extending 

 downward ? (Calks.) What are they for ? (The 

 horse is so heavy that as it comes down with its 



