110 HORSESHOEING. 



long toes upon the front and hind hoofs, and too long front 

 shoes. 



The means employed to correct forging consist in applying 

 front shoes which are no longer and no wider than the hoof. 

 The ends of the branches of a flat shoe, and also the heel-calks, 

 in case they are used, should be bevelled from the hoof surface 

 of the shoe downward and forward under the foot. Such short 

 heel-calks, bevelled to prevent forging, are called " forging calks." 

 If the horse forges between the branches and on the lower sur- 

 face of the shoe, concaving this surface will prove advantageous. 

 The form of the front shoes of horses that forge should represent 

 merely a prolongation of the hoof. The hind shoes are to be 

 shortened at the toe, and the lower edge of the shoe in the 

 region of the toe well rounded ; instead of a toe-clip, two side- 

 clips are to be drawn up and the shoe so fitted that at least three- 

 fourths of the thickness of the wall of the toe, with the edge well 

 rounded, will extend forward beyond the shoe. 



B. Interfering. 



A horse " interferes" when a hoof in motion strikes the oppo- 

 site supporting leg. Interfering is apt to produce injuries, either 

 of the coronary band of the inner half of the foot or of the fet- 

 lock-joint, or (in fore-limbs) of the cannon, even as high up as 

 the knee. Lameness frequently accompanies such injuries. 



The causes of interfering lie either in the shoeing (of the foot 

 that strikes, as well as of the foot which is struck), in the posi- 

 tion of the limbs, or in the use of the animal. Horses that have 

 the correct standing position do not interfere when they are 

 properly shod ; base-wide horses interfere sometimes ; horses 

 base-narrow down to the fetlock and toe-wide below that 

 point interfere very frequently. Traces or reins of unequal 

 length, weariness, and shoeing at too long intervals favor inter- 

 fering. 



In attempting to lessen or remove interfering, the horse must 

 be most carefully examined with respect to the position of his 



