SHOEING. 



convex bodies ttian a flat or convex furface, and that the 

 Iiorfe is confequently more fecure on his legs. A (hoe that 

 is flat externally, may preferve the hoof equally well in 

 health ; but this form is not fo well calculated to prevent 

 the horfe from flipping as a concavity. 



And in explainmg the principles and praftice of flioeing, 

 it is fuppofed there are two circumttances neceifary to be 

 attended to, -viz. to cut the hoof and apply the fhoe. 

 Before the hoof is protefted by iron, fome parts require to 

 be removed, and others preferved. This is even of more 

 importance than the form of the flioc. But many have at- 

 tended chiefly to the fhoe, and not to its application or to 

 the hoof ; and this error has produced more mifchief and 

 more enemies to the Veterinary College, than all the preju- 

 dices and calumnies of grooms and farriers. The firft thing 

 to be attended to, is to take away a portion of the fole be- 

 tween the whole length of the bars and cruft with a draw- 

 ing knife ; for the heels of the fole cannot receive prefl^iire 

 without corns. To avoid this the fole fliould be made con- 

 cave, fo as not to be in contaft with the fhoe. If there be 

 any one part of the praftice of (hoeing more important than 

 the reft, it is this removal of the fole between the bars and 

 crull. When this is done, the horfe will always be free 

 from corns, whatever may be the form of the (hoe. Be- 

 lides this, the heels of the (hoe fhould be made to reft on the 

 junction of the bars with the cruft ; whereas, if the bars are 

 removed, the (hoe is fupported by the cruft only, and not by 

 the folid broad bafis of cruft and bars united. 



And it is added, that it is nece(rary that the fole fhould be 

 cut before any other part of the hoof be removed. If the 

 heels have been tirft lowered by the butteris, then polTibly 

 there may not be fufficient fole left to enable a drawing-knife 

 CO be applied without reaching the fenfible fole ; whereas, 

 by cutting the fole in the firft inftance, we can determine on 

 the propriety of lowering the heels and (hortening the toe. 

 The fole can then defcend, without the motion being ob- 

 itrufted by the (hoe ; and any foreign bodies that may have 

 got into this cavity are always forced out when the fole de- 

 fends, without producing any mifchief. When the (hoe is 

 applied, the cavity between the fole and (hoe (hould be fuffi- 

 ciently large, at every part, to admit a large horfe-picker, 

 and particularly between the bars and cruit. If the fole is 

 naturally concave, a (hoe with a flat furface applied to the 

 cruft, will not touch any part of the fole ; and if the fole 

 be flat, or even convex in the middle, or towards the toe, 

 the quarters and heels of the fole will generally admit of 

 being made concave with a drawing-knife, fo as not to re- 

 ceive any preilure from a flat flioe. If a (hoe with a flat 

 upper lurface does not leave ample fpace for a picker be- 

 tween the fole and (hoe, then it is requiilte to make either the 

 fole or the (hoe concave. When the fole appears in flakes, 

 and thick in fubftance, it will be better to make the whole 

 of the fole concave by a drawing-knife ; and this operation 

 (hould always be performed before the toe is fliortened or the 

 heels lowered. When we have made the fole hollow, then a 

 (hoe with a flat furface will reft only on the crull : but if the 

 fole be flat, or convex, and thin towards the toe and middle 

 of the hoof, fo as to prevent the poflibility of removing the 

 fole at tliefe parte, to form a concavity, tiien it is neceilary 

 to employ a fhoe fufHciently concave to avoid predure, and 

 to admit a picker. In this cafe, however, the fole at the 

 heels and quarters, even in convex feet, will generally allow 

 of removal with a drawing-knife, and then the quarters and 

 heels of the (hoe may be flat. It therefore follows, that 

 where the lole can be made concave, a (hoe with a flat fur- 

 face may witii fafety be applied ; but where parts of the 

 (ole, from difeafr or bad (hoeing, become flat, a (hoe with a 



concave furface is required. As the lioof is always growing, 

 and as the (hoe preferves it from friftion, the toe of the cruft 

 requires to be cut once in about twenty-eight days. The 

 more horn we can remove from this part, the fooner it will 

 be proper to apply a flioe thin at the lieels, without mifchief 

 to the mufcles and tendons, and the horfe will be lefs Uable 

 to trip. 



And it is ftated that the bars and frog fliould never be re- 

 moved. What is ragged and detached had better be cut off 

 with a knife by the groom than left to the farrier, who will 

 perhaps remove fome of the found parts. Where the frog 

 is not large and projecting, the heels maybe loweredby a rafp, 

 or the butteris, for in every cafe we are to endeavour to bring 

 the frog in contaft with the ground. The frog muft havepref- 

 fure, or be difeafed. Neverthelefs, when the frog has been dif- 

 ufed for a confiderable period, and become (oft, it muft be ac- 

 cuftoraed to preflure by degrees. If the quarters are high, 

 and much exceed the convexity of the frog, we (hould gra- 

 dually lower the heels, and endeavour to bring the frog and 

 heels of the (hoe on the fame parallel Hne. Where work is 

 required of the horfe, while the frog is foft and difeafed, it 

 may be gradually ufed to prelTure, by lowering the hoof 

 about the tenth of an inch every time of (hoeing, until the 

 frog be hard, and equally prominent with the heels ; or if 

 the horfe is not wanted, great advantage would be derived 

 from his (landing without (hoes on a hard pavement. But 

 the feet of horfes are fo varioufly deformed by bad manage- 

 ment, it will berequifite in flioeing to attend to each particu- 

 lar kind of hoof. If any form of (lioe be indifcriminately 

 applied for all kinds of feet, it muft frequently fail of fuc- 

 cefs : but by proper attention to the different hoofs, we can 

 generally improve the whole foot, fo as to employ the (hoe« 

 recommended at the Veterinary College. And, after the 

 hoof has been properly prepared, then it is requifite to ap- 

 ply a (hoe, and to vary its length, breadth, and thicknefs at 

 the heel, furfaces. &c. according to the hoof. If the heels 

 of the fore-feet are two inches and a half, or more, in 

 depth, the frog found and prominent, and the ground dry, 

 then only the toe of the hoof requires to be (hortened, and 

 afterwards protected by a fliort flioe made of the ufual 

 thicknefs at the toe, but gradually thinner towards the heel. 

 For a common fized faddle-liorfe, it may be about three- 

 eighths of an inch thick at the toe, and one-eighth at the 

 heel. The intention is, to bring the frog completely int* 

 contaft with the ground, to expand the heels, prevent 

 corns, thrulhes, and canker. If applied in May or June, 

 when the ground is dry, it may be continued all the fummer; 

 and in warm climates, where this is the cafe, no other 

 proteftion for the hoof is requilite. And he adds, that fo 

 long as tlie wear of the hoef is not greater than the fupply 

 afforded by nature from the coronet, fo long may the (hort 

 (hoes be worn ; but in wet weather tliis is not the cafe : he 

 has known fome light horfes to wear them the whole year ; 

 but fuch inftances are not common. Ncvcrthelefs, the (hort 

 fhoe can be employed on moft horfes with advantage in fum- 

 mer, when the heels are from two and a half to three inches 

 in depth, and the frog equally prominent ; but, unlefs the 

 hoof has been properly preferved, the heels and frog are 

 generally too low for the fliort flioc. The toe of the liorfe 

 requires to be (hortened as much as poffible ; but if the frog 

 touches the ground, no part of the heels fliould be cut ; .ind, 

 by purfuing this practice, tlie heels will frequently grow (ufli- 

 ciently high to receive the (hort flioe. After fpoakingof the 

 application of the (hort (hoe to running horfes, it is ftated, that 

 during the wet months, we protcft the whole cruil by a 

 long fhoe ; and if the heels of the hoof are low, we employ 

 the fame (hoe in fummer. In winter, when the heels are too 

 4H a high, 



