The management and treatment of the horse in the stable, field, and ...

106 The Management and Treatment of the Horse,
until the acid has ceased to hiss, then have the shoe
put on, but mind it has a fair and level bearing
and broad enough at the heel to cover the point
of the bar at its juncture with the heel. Never
allow the smith to spring the heel, as they say " to
take the pressure off the heel," for by so doing they
avoid one trouble and cause two. If the shoe is sprung
at the heel there is no level bearing, and great leverage
is given to the shoe which unduly bears upon the
quarters of the foot, the quarters being the weakest
part of the foot it is easily injured, and thus to avoid
a corn we do our best to set up inflammation. Another
evil is, that by an uneven bearing and great leverage
we put too much strain on the nails, causing them to
break and loosen the shoe. la cases of bad corns, if
you want the pressure taken off the heel, make the
smith thin out the heel of the shoe to one half the
substance of the shoe for about one inch and a
quarter from the point of the heel ; this should be done
on the wearing surface next the ground, and upon
no account on the side next the foot. If these in-
structions are fully carried out, the author is confident
that the worst corns can be cured in twice or three times
shoeing, much annoyance to master and man saved, and
relief given to the poor horse. This being a disease
brought on entirely by man's ignorance, stupidity, and
neglect, it is time we turned our attention to the subject,
and by careful shoeing and common sense to atone for
the suffering of the past, by studying the comfort of the
horse in the future,