SHOEING. 147 
INTERFERING. 
Our first object is to ascertain, if possible, the cause 
of interfering, and. the part which strikes, whether the 
shoe or the foot. Many horses strike from weakness, or 
long continued exertion. Particularly is this the case in 
young animals. Others cut from faulty. conformation of 
the limbs—the toes turning in or out too much is a fre- « 
quent cause. By applying chalk to the foot which cuts, 
we readily discover the precise part of the foot which 
does the injury. Having satisfied ourselves of this, we 
must for once deviate from our rule in shoeing, by mak- 
ing the shoe straight on its edge at-the part indicated, 
outting down the crust level with it. By this means the 
feet frequently work clear, Where this does not succeed, 
the shoe should be widened in the web at the point where 
the foot strikes, but not thickened, as is too often done; 
the natural re of the foot must be preserved. 
Should this, too, fail, there is no resort but-a strip of 
India-rubber, placed between the shoe and the foot, 
projecting at least a quarter of an inch beyond the shoe. 
This being soft and elastic, it will not bruise the part 
struck by the shoe or foot, giving it time to heal, and 
cause the animal to work clear in traveling. Either one 
of these plans is successful, if properly applied, in a 
majority of cases; yet all are unsuccessful in a few 
eases of natural deformity, or faulty conformation in 
the limbs. 
OVERREACHING. 
Many persons regard overreaching as an indication of 
a bad horse, yet we are compelled to recognize it as a 
fault in some of the best. It frequently occurs with 
‘young horses, on a moderate gait, and disappears alto- 
“gether on increasing the speed of the animal. It arises 
