Shoeing Horses 108 
pincers. <A light blister applied to the coronet where 
the crack starts will stimulate the growth of horn. 
Cutting through the wall at right angles to the point 
of the crack will often prevent the crack extend- 
ing further. The hoof should be kept well oiled. 
Care should be taken, until it is well healed, that 
the horse is not subjected to severe exertion that 
will split the crack open. 
SHOEING 
Shoeing consists in fastening to the hoof of the 
animal some hard substance, usually iron. Shoes are 
applied for several reasons: 
(1) Shoeing is employed to prevent the rapid wear- 
ing away of the horn of the hoof, and thus to prevent 
the feet from getting sore and tender when traveling. 
This is the reason for shoeing most horses. In some 
parts of the country it is not common to shoe horses 
unless they show the need of it by getting footsore 
when traveling, especially on a hard road. When horses 
show the need of shoeing, it is first seen in the fore feet. 
In many parts of the country, shoes are applied only to 
the front feet, except in rare eases in which the hind 
feet show signs of too rapid wear. For ordinary 
uses, a shoe without calks and just heavy enough to 
prevent bending is best; such shoes are often called 
“plates.” If shoes are too heavy they are likely to 
tire a horse and make him leg-weary. 
(2) When roads are slippery, from ice or other 
causes, or when horses are subjected to heavy pulling, it 
