Page:Horse shoes and horse shoeing.djvu/702

 round a little more the edge of the small fragment of horn that may project on each side of the clip, and thus prevent its liability to split. The angle of the face of the hoof should never be interrupted after the shoe is nailed on, but should be the same from top to toe, as in the natural foot. This is a matter of vital importance. Too much stress cannot be laid upon the conservation of the horn of the foot; and no amount of rasping can give the hoof the beautiful polish it has in its natural state.

To diminish the weight, and permit one portion of the posterior part of the foot to come in direct contact with the ground along with the frog, a three-quarter shoe is often applied—the portion of iron extending from the inside quarter to the point of the heel being cut off, and the shoe at this part thinned a little. The horn left unprotected is never interfered with. This is an excellent shoe for saddle and carriage horses, which may be employed on the worst roads while wearing it. For feet that have suffered very much from the effects of rasping and paring, and which are liable to have bruised heels (or corns), its use is attended with the greatest benefit.

The same may be said of tips or half-shoes. An unreasonable prejudice appears to exist against the use of these short light plates; but if they are properly used, there can be no doubt whatever that they are entitled to a far larger share of attention than they have yet received. Their very limited employment hitherto may have arisen from the imperfect manner in which they have been applied. They protect those parts of the crust most liable to damage by attrition—extending around the toe and reaching no farther than the quarters; while