CHAPTER IV. 



SHOEING MULES, ASSES, AND OXEN. 



1. The shoeing of mules and asses is, as in the case of horses, 

 a necessity if these animals are to be used for draught or saddle 

 purposes on hard streets. The structure and characteristics of 

 the hoofs of these animals are quite similar to those of the horse, 

 differing chiefly in the form and thickness of the wall. The mule 

 hoof is long and narrow and round at the toe, the sole is well 

 arched, and the side walls are rather steep. In the ass the nar- 

 rowness of hoof is still more pronounced, the wall is relatively 

 thick, the frog is particularly well developed in its branches, 

 and therefore the hoof is relatively wide in the region of the 

 quarters. The horn of both mule and ass is tough. 



The shoes differ from those of the horse in no other respect 

 than that they should be lighter and narrower. Four nail-holes 

 are sufficient for an ass's shoe, and five to six for a mule's. 



On account of the hardness and toughness of the walls, we 

 use nails that are short but strong in the shank ; nails with weak 

 shanks are apt to bend in driving. 



2. The shoeing of oxen is essentially different from that of 

 horses, because the foot of the ox is cloven (split), the long pas- 

 tern, short pastern, and hoof-bone are double, so that, instead of 

 one hoof or claw, there are two upon each foot, distinguished as 

 outer and inner. Each claw consists of wall, sole, and bulbs ; 

 the frog is absent. The wah is considerably thinner than that 

 of the horse's hoof, the sole is thin, and the bulbs are low. For 

 these reasons the shoe designed for a claw must be thin, but 

 wide. 



The holes must be punched fine and the nails be quite short 

 and strong. On each shoe a long tongue should be made on the 

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