CORRESPONDENCE. 
477 
and firm. In rasping them, never rasp the whole surface of the 
hoof. When calks are used, there should be three, one at the 
toe, the others at the heel.” 
After many years’ agitation by the army veterinarians 
against this form of “foot butchery,” my present colleague and 
myself were ordered to meet or report to a board of officers at 
Jefferson Barracks, Mo., in April, 1887, purpose of im¬ 
proving the system of horse-shoeing. After discussing the sub¬ 
ject with the board and making recommendations, etc., the fol¬ 
lowing paragraph was inserted in the new cavalry regulations : 
“ In preparing the horse’s feet for .the shoe, no cutting whatever 
with the knife is permitted, except when necessary to fit the 
toe clip. In removing surplus growth of that part of the foot 
which is the seat of the shoe, use the cutting pincers and rasp. 
Opening the heels or making a cut in the angle of the wall at 
the heel, must not be allowed. Flat-footed horses should be 
treated as the necessity of each case may require. In forging 
the shoe to fit the foot, be careful that the shoe is fitted to and 
follows the circumference of the foot clear around to the heel; 
the heels of the shoe should not be extended back straight and 
outside of the walls at the heel of the horse’s foot, as is fre¬ 
quently done.' Care must be used that the shoe be not too 
small and the outer surface of the wall then rasped down to 
make the foot suit the shoe. The hot shoe must never be ap¬ 
plied to the horse’s foot under any circumstances. Make the 
upper or foot surface of the shoe perfectly flat so as to give a 
level bearing. A shoe with a concave ground surface should 
be used. In garrison, at the discretion of the colonel or com¬ 
manding officer, the horses may be left unshod. Shoes will be 
fitted and kept ready to be put on the horses.” 
But the veterinarians received no credit for the improved 
condition. And, while these do not cover all our recommenda¬ 
tions, they are quite a revolution from the former pernicious 
practices, and, mind you, gentlemen, an immense salary was at 
that time paid by the War Department to a so-called expert for 
propagating and perpetuating this dark-age brutality. 
It is now more than eleven years since that board met and 
made its reformation of the regulations, still we have not yet 
been furnished with the shoes recommended. Thev still come 
from the Quartermaster’s Department unwieldy masses of iron, 
with no conception in their conformation to their scientific ap¬ 
plication as required by regulations. Our horseshoers, while 
usually well instructed by us, can do little good work with the 
