CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE 



371 



driven high, when the shoes are reset or the horse reshod, 

 the former nail holes are near the edge and serve to 

 weaken the hoof and interfere with driving the new nails. 

 On the other hand, if the nails are small in size and set 

 well back, they can be 

 driven so as to come 

 out well down on the 

 hoof, say an inch and 

 one-half above the 

 shoe. Nails thus driven 

 destroy the least possi- 

 ble amount of horn and 

 have a wide, strong 

 clinch, thus giving the 

 strongest possible hold 

 on the wall, because the 

 clinch holds more 

 nearly at right angles 

 to the grain of the wall, 

 than if driven high. 

 After driving the nails 

 they are clinched in a 

 small groove fitted for 

 the purpose. Smooth 

 with a rasp, but never 

 rasp the outside of the 

 hoof, as it will remove 

 the natural protective 

 covering. It is of the 

 utmost importance that 

 this natural covering 

 be not removed, as the 

 hoof will absorb water in the wet season and dry out 

 much more rapidly during the dry season. 



Resetting the shoes. — It is important that the shoes be 

 reset frequently, as the hoof grows out over the shoe, 

 thereby causing the shoe to bear on the sole instead of 



Fig. 165. — Methods of Shoeing 



I, Normal position; 2, hasten the ac'.ion; 



3, retard the action. 



