Page:Horse shoes and horse shoeing.djvu/615

 '6. A solid and equable bearing for the shoe having been obtained, with a small drawing-knife gently remove the superficial layer of horn that has been in contact with the hot shoe, making in this way a little canal (cannelure) at the angle of the groove around the sole, but without touching the latter. The intention of this is to leave a space which will allow a little play at the corresponding angle of the shoe.

'7. Take the shoe and shorten the branches if they are too long, for they should not pass beyond the heels of the foot; round them in a sloping manner from side to side, and with a half-round file take away the inner angle of the upper face of the shoe, so as to form a slight bevel which, corresponding as it does to the canal at the bottom of the groove in the hoof, prevents the sensitive parts being compressed when the weight is thrown upon the foot.

'8. Attach the shoe with nails in the ordinary manner. The nails should be small and of the ordinary English shape, but the heads a little flatter and longer; they ought to be strong at the neck and thin in the shank.'

'On good feet these different manoeuvres, which have taken so long to describe, are easy of execution; and it is only necessary that the intelligent farrier should bring to his task a little willing attention in order to practise them.

'In delicate feet with low heels, thin soles, and narrow walls, such as we so commonly have to deal with when paring and rasping has been allowed for some time, the farrier must take the greatest precautions not to injure the quick. He will not be able to imbed his shoes so deeply as can be otherwise done. In a strong foot this