SHORT NOTES ON PROFESSIONAL SUBJECTS. 
93 
66. Hints on Shoeing Horses*. —The shape or form of a shoe has very- 
little influence on the functions of a horse’s foot, the object to be gained by any 
particular pattern being that it is light, will wear a month at least, not likely to be 
pulled off, and requiring few nails to retain it. But the methods of preparing the 
foot and applying the shoe as generally carried out, interfere greatly with the healthy 
state and functions of the foot. 
In removing the old shoe prior to a horse being newly shod, each nail should be 
drawn by the pincers independently, and not the shoe torn off as is usually 
the case. 
The shoe being removed, the smith satisfies himself as to the obliquity of the 
foot, which is readily done by allowing the horse to stand on a level floor, and him¬ 
self retiring a few paces, so as to obtain a view of the angle formed by the front of 
the foot and the surface on which the foot stands. This angle should be about 50 
degrees, as shown by Fig. 1, 
If the obliquity is greater as shown by Fig. 2, in other words the angle less than 
50 degrees, a portion of the crust round the toe only and on the ground surface 
should be removed ; should the obliquity be correct, and there is a superabundance 
of crust, it must be removed by rasping from toe to heel; these operations are 
represented by Figs. 3 and 4, the dotted lines indicating the portions of crust to be 
removed. 
Fig. 8. Fig. 4. 
When too great an obliquity exists, it 
or rasped more than the toe. 
is owing to the heels having been pared 
* The subject of a letter from Staff Veterinary Surgeon Thacker to Captain A. H. W, 
Williams, It. H. Artillery. 
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