112 Veterinary Elements. 



important and more peaceful walks of life, such as agri- 

 culture, etc., horseshoeing is just as important, as the 

 getting of the products to markets, etc., depends to a 

 large extent on the preparedness of the horse; in field 

 work, such as plowing, harrowing and other farm opera- 

 tions, shoes are better dispensed with if possible, the feet 

 will, however, still require regular attention. 



The special objects of shoeing are: 



1. To protect the hoof from excessive wear; 2, to ena- 

 ble the feet to get sure footing on ice or slippery roads; 



3, to overcome as near as possible faulty conformation, 

 balancing the foot and limb as it might be termed; and, 



4, to cure or improve diseased conditions of the foot. 

 The feet of colts should rarely be shod, in fact refrain 

 from shoeing as long as possible. When horses are shod 

 the shoes should be removed every four to six weeks, 

 the excess of horn rasped away and the shoes refitted; it 

 is important to remember that the excess of horn, the 

 result of growth, be removed, in the past people cut off 

 too much, nowadays many have gone almost to the other 

 extreme. If horses are to go barefooted more horn should 

 be left, the sharp outer edge of the wall should be rounded 

 with the rasp to avoid splitting of the wall, loose flakes 

 of the sole or frog being cut off. The wear of a shoe is 

 due to friction between it and the ground, the wear may 

 be natural (normal) as in a sound young horse; or unnat- 

 ural (abnormal) in an unsound horse, e. g., wear of the 

 toe in navicular disease and spavin, wear of the heel in 

 laminitis (founder). On the upper surface of the shoe 

 marks of wear are seen due to the play of the quarters, 

 at this point can often be noted the slope, whether inten- 



