SHOEING. 
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while those shod most carelessly or quickly, barely levelling the 
wall, without regard to sole or frog, and nailing on the shoe 
with perhaps a few hurried rakes of the rasp under the clinches, 
maintain the best condition of health. 
The object of shoeing is to prevent excessive wear, give 
power, and prevent slipping, which necessitates the following 
conditions : 
The preparation of the foot, the weight, form and fitting of 
the shoe and nailing it to the foot. 
1st. In preparing the foot for the shoe, the aim should be to 
cut away so much of the wall as would be a surplus of growth, 
or so much only as would bring it back to its natural form and 
adjustment; if it is desired to be particular, the shoer should see 
how the feet are carried in a sharp trot, whether too high or too 
low, or whether he travels too close, endangering interfering or 
cutting. The foot can then be taken up, when a look from the 
heel forward will enable an experienced shoer to determine 
how much and what part is to be cut away, to level it to the 
proper proportions, and the faults if any can be modified or 
corrected. 
2d. The shoe should be formed so that when on, the adjust¬ 
ment of the foot, or its power to obtain hold or grasp upon the 
ground, be as nearly as possible as it was before being shod. 
3d. It should be nailed on firmly, yet so as to break or 
weaken the wall of the hoof as little as possible, and not inter¬ 
fere with the freedom of the quarters, or enlargement of the foot 
as it grows. The shoe when on must exert no undue pressure 
upon any part. In the state of nature, the bones of the foot are 
so nicely adjusted and balanced by the ligaments and tendons 
of the limb, that there is no unequal strain brought upon any 
joint, but each assists in supporting the others, but if the heels 
are raised too high there will be an increased strain brought up¬ 
on the anterior ligaments and tendons, and if the toe is too high, 
there will be an increased strain on the back tendons ; in like 
manner raising or lowering the inner or outer quarter, would 
produce a lateral strain upon the joints and ligaments, which 
