Page:Horse shoes and horse shoeing.djvu/694

 of the crust at this part, gives an excellent grip that lasts until the shoe is quite worn out. With a contrivance of this kind, three important objects are secured: 1. The plane upper surface resting flat on the crust and unpared sole, leaves no space in which foreign bodies—as clay, stones, or gravel—may lodge, and in heavy ground suction is obviated. 2. The metal is only removed from the parts where it can best be spared, and where there is least wear; consequently the shoe is lightened without being weakened. 3. The level border and extremities of the branches afford an equal bearing for the foot, while the gradually deepening bevel, with its sudden check, secures a permanent and powerful catching surface. The shoe is easily made by any farrier, differing as it does so slightly from the usual hunting hoof-armature; and there is no difference between the fore and hind shoe, except in the shape—the former being more circular than the latter, which is somewhat oval. For carriage and saddle horses, each shoe should have a clip at the middle of the toe, except in special cases, when a clip at each side of the toe of the hind shoe may be necessary. Horses used for hunting should wear a clip on each side of their hindfeet shoes, the sharp edges being carefully removed from the toes and the inner branches, to prevent wounds from over-reaching, cutting, or treading. Horses have been hunted without slipping with shoes of this description, each weighing about eight or nine ounces, and they have worn a month and five weeks over all kinds of country, but particularly grass-land; and I am not aware of any shoes having been lost, or any tread or over-reach occurring during the whole time they have been in trial.