148 SHOEING. 
from too great activity of the hind-legs, the fore ones 
not being able to get out of the way in time. This 
habit is often brought on by too heavy shoeing in front, 
and too light shoeing behind. By reversing this princi. 
ple I have found it to answer an excellent purpose. 
Where this habit is allowed to go unchecked, the heels 
often become bruised, and in some instances the shoes 
are torn off from the front-feet, causing much mischief 
to arise in consequence. This habit, too, like interfer- 
ing, occurs in young horses after severe driving, from 
becoming leg-weary, a circumstance which should be 
carefully avoided, as habits are easily formed, but often 
most difficult to be got rid of. The preservation of the 
horse’s feet depends very much upon careful and skillful 
application of the shoe, independently of its being con- 
structed on correct principles, Many horses with very. 
bad feet are enabled to go sound for many years by 
careful shoeing, while a bungling hand would render the 
same animal unfit for service in a single shoeing. It 
requires considerable tact to fit a shoe properly on a bad 
or weak foot, so as to protect it from injury. 
STOPPING THE FEET. 
The hoofs of horses standing upon plank floors soon 
become €xcessively dry and hard, unless artificial means 
are resorted to to prevent it; and if shod in this state, 
it is almost impossible for the smith to pare them. The 
opponents of stopping, and there are a few, offer as an 
objection that it sometimes tends to produce thrush. 
This Ido not pretend to deny where such stopping as 
cow-dung is resorted to, but it does not occur when lin- 
seed-meal is used for that purpose. This certainly is the 
best and cleanest application, and can be used several 
times by softening with a little water. To keep the soles 
