298 SHOEING AND THE FOOT. 
should the disposition be rigorously adhered to. Common 
sense will teach that it should be varied in accordance 
with the nature of the foot. In some cases a less number of 
nails may be used beneficially on the outside or the inside 
as need requires. A clip on the toe gives additional firmness, 
but those on the sides are unnecessary except in the hind 
shoe, a matter to which I shall refer later. The shoe 
should be made to fit the foot for which it is intended, not 
hammered to do so afterwards. The nails should be driven 
slantingly outwards, so as only to pierce the wall, and the 
shoe should neither be drawn on too tightly nor left insecure ; 
after the points of the nails are twisted off with the pincers, 
clinted and rasped even with the foot, the shoeing is com- 
pleted. But though the horse be shod properly, it is scarcely 
less important to describe the correct method of taking off 
the shoe, for this is very often done in a manner that cannot 
be too strongly reprehended. When the shoes are removed, 
either to be replaced with new ones, or for paring the feet and 
refixing the old, every clint should be cut to free the nail of 
its hold, and then each nail should be drawn separately with 
the pincers. The harmful practice, which we often see, of 
knocking the clints barely up and tearing the shoe off bodily 
by main force, should never be permitted. Too often a 
portion of the hoof comes away with the shoe, and lame- 
ness ensues. 
As a rule horses require to be newly shod once a month, 
and removed in the interim. The feet should also be daily 
examined by the smith as a matter of precaution. For even 
with the greatest skill and care in shoeing, and with the 
strictest supervision of the work, horses will throw their shoes 
whilst at exercise in strong work, and thus hurt either them- 
selves or others. The very best nails will break, and the shoe 
