186 THE CANADIAN HOESB 



pincers. Too much force should never be used, and if the 

 clenches are properly raised much violence is seldom needed. 

 All old stubs must be carefully removed. The question of 

 paring the foot has long been a subject of controversy ; but 

 experience has proved that there is no fixed rule as to the 

 exact extent to which the hoof should be removed by the 

 knife or rasp — in fact, that we must prepare the foot accord- 

 ing to the state we find it in. Few feet are the same, and 

 while some require moderate removal of superfluous horn, 

 others cannot bear the least thinning. We difier in opinion 

 from those who recommend the sole to. be thinned at every 

 shoeing till it yield to the pressure of the thumb — at least in 

 a healthy foot. Such thinning of the sole renders it liable to 

 be bruised by every stone the animal steps upon. On the other 

 hand, in most feet it is necessary to remove those loosened 

 and detached flakes, which, were it not for the. shoe, would 

 have exfoliated themselves, the retention of which must 

 render the foot uncomfortable. The angles between the bars 

 and crust should be moderately pared out, as accumulations 

 here, with continued pressure of the shoe, are apt to induce 

 corns. The frog seldom requires paring more than the re^ 

 moval of ragged parts. The crust requires reduction, parti- 

 cularly at the toe, which should be well shortened at every 

 shoeing. The heels must be left strong, especially the inner 

 heel. The frog-band which passes round the back part of 

 the heel must never be removed, as is done by most smiths 

 for the purpose of " opening up the heels." 



FITTING THE SHOE. 



Still more important is the proper fitting of the shoe. It 

 is in this branch we find most difficulty in getting qualified 

 farriers. As the feet differ in shape, in the manner of wear- 

 ing the shoes, in peculiarities of action, &c., so must the 



