CAEE AND MANAGEMENT OP ANIMALS 803 



cut at this angle shows the wall to be the same thickness 

 from above to below. 



Owing to the shape of the hoof, the wall throughout its 

 extent is of a different age ; for instance, at the toe it is the 

 oldest, and being the furthest removed from the coronet, is 

 the driest and toughest ; at the heel it is the shortest, 

 youngest, and most elastic. The hardest and oldest horn 

 exists where there is the greatest wear and tear, while 

 the young and elastic horn exists where there is the most 

 lateral movement. 



The bars of the foot, being merely the wall turned in at 

 the heels, are intended to support weight. The sole, on 

 the other hand, is not a weight bearer ; its arch becomes 

 slightly flattened when the weight of the body comes on it. 

 The foot pad cannot have too much weight placed on it, 

 nor have too large a surface on the ground, if its anti- 

 concussion mechanism is to be employed. 



It is obvious that shoeing, to comply with physiological 

 principles, should interfere as little as possible with the 

 foot ; the wall must be artificially reduced to a proper 

 length, which varies slightly in different feet. The object 

 of this reduction is to remove the overgrowth of the foot, 

 the result of wearing a shoe. In carrying it out care 

 must be taken that the wall is lowered evenly, one quarter 

 must not be higher than the other, and one foot should be 

 made the same length as its fellow ; the heels of both feet 

 should also be reduced to the same height. 



The shoe should then be fitted to the outline of the foot. 

 It must bear evenly all over the wall and bars, and the 

 crust should be so lowered that when the shoe is in its place 

 the foot pad is level with the ground surface of the shoe 

 and so supporting the horse's weight. 



Clips are necessary to prevent shoes driving back under 

 the feet ; they should only be lightly hammered into their 

 position. Chps tightly driven down are said to produce 

 ' seedy toe.' 



No more nails should be used than are absolutely neces- 

 sary the number depends on the size of the shoe. Four 

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