Page:Horse shoes and horse shoeing.djvu/690

 which are so seldom applied. To give the greatest amount of strength and foothold to the shoes of the heavy draught-horse, with the least amount of weight, should always be kept in view in fabricating them. But with this animal the preservation of the crust is the principal object; and to effect this, the sole and frog ought, if possible, to be preserved intact.

The form of the shoe should, in outline, resemble the shape of the ground surface of the hoof. It has been decided that its upper or sole surface must be fiat from the outer to the inner margin. For horses other than those of heavy draught, its width will of course vary; but it must be an advantage to have it as narrow as is compatible, in relation to its thickness, with the amount of wear required from it. After what we have said, it will perhaps be well to remember that it is better to have a thin wide shoe than a narrow thick one—so far as the foot surface is concerned.

The ground face of the shoe is the next point for consideration. This should always, if possible, be parallel with its plantar face; that is, the shoe ought to be plane on both surfaces, and of the same thickness on its outer margin at least, both for hind and fore feet. This insures the foot and limb being kept in a natural position. What are termed calkins, on one or both heels, are very objectionable, for the simple reason that they raise the posterior part of the foot higher than the anterior, and disturb the aplomb of the limb; and unless the hoof meets the ground in its natural direction, some part of the leg will be certain to experience the evil effects. On the fore foot, calkins are far more objectionable than on the hind one, and