Show alie horses hoof iron to it the horses hoof necessarily sees alio hardest vico of any coition of his structure turo and is alic only part that can bo mutilated by cutting and burning as is alio common practice by men calling themselves and made too large and driven too deep owner of will when ho hag occasion for alio first time to havo a colt shod select a smith who will do as alie owner directs and not follow alio ico generally in vogue in times past and still too commonly practiced it is probable outside of tho farm more horses are defective in alio feet than in any other part this comes from tho combined influences of hard usage and mu ti lilion in shoeing largely from tho latter because a hoof properly trimmed and shod will stand an extraordinary amount of contact however rough with every sort of pavement in uso it is alic power of the farmer to breed horses with properly formed hoofs and preserve in proper form by seeing that they anro kept in alic shape that mature pave them if a flat footed siro or dam is bred from then of course alio penalty is of having a pretty good soft ground hoof but in no wise such a one a will stand use apon hard roads and davod streets alio young horse on whom ii bred a properly shaped foot goes to alio smith for tho arst time carrying a wide heel a smooth outer surface anil a sharp ring nt tho outer circle below the man who is well informed as to tho foot goes to the average smith the first timo with a feeling of dread A properly formed hoof on alie well bred colt is straight from alio top downwards and lias exactly the circular form that should bo maintained tho shioo in every coso being titled to aho foot and nt asis a sis the practice with ho average smith who cuts anil tho hoof to it alio shoo wath tho it is much easier to do the latter than the former for when the shoo is mado fast it is but tho work of a moment to cut away and rasp ra sp down the projecting rim ol 01 horny structure tho forward portion of tho hoot is firm and somewhat thick as compared to tho lamina at tho lical ciul cuts much harder it is easier or tho smith to pare down tho heel at alie bottom ot the foot than to cut away tho toe in liko maunce alie directions should be to cut with a sharp buttress from the bottom of tha hoof till it is of tho right depth from op downward at this of alio cutting the hoof will assume alio circular form aud to this form tho shoo should j be accurately fitted so accurately no rim of hoot wall project beyond alio llio shoo at any rate not more than nn eighth of an inch except where ar h often tho case a point of licot on ona side projects further lhnn tho side in which case tho afoot requires to be made true the nails for i well bred horse haing a tough ilioof should bo considerably less in size than aro proper to be used on a draft horse and former they should not extend upwards into alio hoof more than avo of an inch for tho lionso of medium size and alio heavy draft horn three fourths to of nn inch will be admissible the face of the hoot no pro bo rapped or should any smith be allowed to hold a liot shuo to the bottom of the foot tho surface remains as in lie unshod colt clastic through tho oil and moisture furnished to it but when rasped aliis and tho foot becomes brittle and liable tho burning of tho bottom of is barb irons ind destructive to iho tissues live journal |