SHOEING OF HORSES. In olden times, horses generally went unshod, as they now do in many eastern countries; but our macadamized roads and paved streets, our fast paces and heavy loads, would speedily wear away the stoutest hoofs, and a rim of iron has accordingly been long in use Its at protection. In style and pattern, the horse's shoe varies almost as nmeli as his master's boot, and like it, when badly made, or unskill fully fitted. produces serious inconvenience, and even leads to accidents and diseases. When the feet are strong and properly managed, nothing is better than at plain shoe of tolerably uniform breadth and thickness, carefully fashioned to the shape of the foot. But many good authorities prefer what is called a seated shoe, which has a level pert for the crust to rest upon, and within that the inner half of the shoe toward the sole surface is beveled off This seated shoe is thus wider than the plain shoe, and hence affords greater protection for a weak or a flat sole. For faultyor diseased feet, special forms of shoes are -suittible. In all healthy feet, the shoe should be fitted to the foot, and not, as is commonly (1011C, the foot cut to fit the shoe. Another frequent error of keeping the shoe short and spare at the heels must be avoided. For roadsters the too of the fore-shoes should be slightly turned up, which greatly obviates tripping. The hind-shoes are generally thickened, and sometimes turned down at the heels. Tim number of nails required must vary somewhat with the weight of the shoe and sound JIM of the horn; five is the mininuttn, nine the maximum. It is important, however, that the shoes be firmly held on by as few nails as possible. In a saddle-horse with sound feet, three on the outside, and two on the inside, should suffice to hold a well fitted shoe. Horses for heavy draught are genera/1y shod in Scotland with tips and heels, which afford increased firmness of tread, and greater power, especially when drag ging heavy loads. To preserve the foot iu a sound state, the shoes should be removed every month. When the shoe is carefully taken off, the sole-surface on which it has rested should be rasped, to remove any ragged edges and any portions of adhering nails. Having for a yonth been protected from the wear to which the exposed portions of the foot are subjected, it will probably have grown considerably, and, iu a stout hoof, will require to be cut down with a drawing-knife, especially toward the toe. Except in
very strong feet, and in fafm-horses working on soft land, the surface of the sole uncovered by the shoe seldom requires to be cut. It is the natural protection of the internal delicate parts, and must be preferable to the leather and pads often artificially substituted for it. The bars must likewise remain untouched, for they arc of great service in supporting weight; while the tough, elastic frog must lx; scrupulously pre served from the destructive attacks of the knife, and allowed uninjured to fulfill its functions as an insensible pad, obviating concussion, and supporting weight. When the shoe is put on, and the nails well driven home, they should be broken off about an eighth or even sixteenth in. from the crust, and hammered well down into it. This obviously gives the shoe a much firmer hold than the usual practice of twisting off the projecting nail close to the crust, and afterward rasping down any asperities that still remain. When the shoe is firmly clinched, the rasp may be very lightly ten round the lower margin of the crust, just where it meets the shoe, to smooth down any irregular ities, but all further use of the rasp must be interdicted. The clinched nails, if touched, will only have their firm hold weakened; nor must the upper portions of the crust, which blacksmiths are so fond of turning out rasped and whitened, be thus senselessly deprived of those external unctuous structures, which render the unrasped foot so tough and sound, and so free from sanderacks. prevent the hoof becoming too dry and hard, it is advisable, especially in roadsters, and in hot weather, to stop the feet several times a week with a mixture of equal weights of lard, tar, bees-wax, and honey, whit about one-fourth part of glycerine, melted together, well stirred, and preserved in pots for use. Fuller details ou this subject will be found in a little volume entitled Notes on the Slweing of Horscs,by Ncot.cdl. Fitzwygriun, 15th (the king's) hussars; and in a paper on " Horse-shoeing," by Mr. Miles, published in the Journal of the Royal Agncultural Society cf England, and reprinted in a separate form by Mr. Murray, Albemarle street, London.