Tlie Principles of Horse-Shoeinj. 
130 
than to remove the excess in growth of the wall by means of the 
rasp, applied to the lower margin or ground or sole edge — not 
the front of the wall. The amount to be removed will depend 
upon the growth, and of this the farrier's skill in his art should 
enable him to judge. It is at the toe or front portion that 
the excess is found, and this should be removed until, in an 
ordinarv hoof, when placed on the ground, the angle should be 
about 50° or 52°. The sole or frog should not be touched, not 
even the loose flakes removed, and all the work ought to be 
accomplished by means of the rasp. Paring out and hacking at 
these parts with the drawing-knife should be absolutely con- 
demned as destructive to the foot. 
In reducing the wall to a proper length, care should be exer- 
cised in keeping both sides of the same height ; as, if one is 
left higher than the other, the foot, fetlock, and indeed the whole 
limb, will be thrown out of the perpendicular. This causes 
the horse to travel painfully, as it twists the joints, and in time 
leads to disease. Nearly always the inside of the foot is left 
higher than the outside, and this throws severe strain on the 
outside of the foot and fetlock. Standing in front of the horse 
when the foot is on the ground, one can perceive at once 
whether this deviation is present. In a well-formed foot and 
leg, a plumb-line should fall from the point of the shoulder 
through the middle of the knee, shank, pastern, and front of the 
hoof. 
The wall having been reduced sufficiently, the shoe should 
fit full all round the circumference, and project slightly beyond 
the heels. Heat is not absolutely necessary in fitting it, or 
procuring accurate co-aptation between it and the hoof. The 
nails should take a short thick hold of the wall, so that, if 
possible, the old nail-holes may be obliterated when the excess of 
horn is removed at the succeeding shoeing. With the fore foot 
the nails should be driven home more firmly at the toe than the 
heels, particularly the inside heel. The clinches must be laid 
down as smoothly as possible, and with only the most trifling 
rasping. The front of the hoof, or wall, should on no account 
be otherwise touched with the rasp, but ought to pass in a 
straight line from the top, or coronet, to the shoe. Rasping this 
part of the hoof is most injurious, and should not be tolerated 
on any consideration. It removes the dense tough fibres which 
are best adapted for holding the nails that retain the shoe, 
and exposes the soft spongy horn beneath ; this soon dries, 
cracks, and breaks, and does not afford sufficient support to the 
nails. 
The evils of shoeing, then, as generally practised, are : 
1. Paring of the sole and frog ; 2. Applying shoes too heavy 
