re either too high or that the toe is too short.

If the long pastern stands steeper than the toe (fig. 6a) the
foot-axis is broken backward, in which case the toe is too long or the
quarters are too low (short). In figures 6a and 6c the dotted lines
passing from toe to quarters indicate the amount of horn which must be
removed in order to straighten the foot-axis, as shown in figure 6b.
Note also the length of the shoe.

Next, the feet should be raised and the examiner should note the outline
of the foot, the conformation of the sole, form and quality of the
frog, form of the shoe, wear of the shoe, and the number and
distribution of the nails. Does the shoe fully cover the entire lower
border of the wall? or is it too narrow, or fitted so full on the inside
that it has given rise to interfering? or has the shoe been nailed on
crooked? or has it become loose and shifted? is it too short, or so wide
at the ends of the branches as not to support the buttresses of the
hoof? Does the shoe correspond with the form of the hoof? Are the nails
distributed so as to interfere as little as possible with the expansion
of the quarters? are there too many? are they too large? driven too
"fine" or too high? These are questions which the observer should put to
himself.

[Illustration: FIG. 6.--a, Side view of foot with the foot-axis broken
backward as a result of too long a toe. The amount of horn to be removed
from the toe in order to straighten the foot-axis is denoted by a dotted
line; b, side view of a properly balanced foot, with a straight
foot-axis of desirable slant; c, side view of stumpy foot with
foot-axis broken forward, as a result of overgrowth of the quarters. The
amount of horn to be removed in order to straighten the foot-axis is
shown by a dotted line.]

Note carefully the wear of the old shoe. It is the unimpeachable
evidence of the manner in which the hoof has been set to the ground
since the shoe was nailed to it, and gives valuable "pointers" in
leveling the hoof. Wear is the effect of friction between the shoe and
the ground at the moment of contact. Since the properly leveled hoof is
set flat to the ground, the "grounding wear" of a shoe should be uniform
at every point, though the toe will always show wear due to scouring at
the moment of "breaking over." Everything which tends to lengthen the
stride tends also to make the "grounding wear" more pronounced in the
heels of the shoe, while all causes which sh