Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-03-04
Che farmer.


Capt. Ralston, Veterinary Surgeon in the |
British Army. recently delivered lecture
in New York on the " Horses Foot" in which
he explained its structure, functions, diseases
and errors in shoeing. The injury which is
inflicted on horseaesh through the ignorance
and willfdl stupidity of blacksmiths and far
riers, is incslculabe AID the subject is de-
serving of Increased attention from all inter-
ested in the welfare of an animal, whose COM
fort and value is more dependent upon sound
feet than any ether quality No foot, no
horse" is an old adage; and it behoves all
owners of horses to keep CAREFUL watch over
their feet and 10 trust their shoeing to none
but the most skillful in the art; for it is an
art, and it cannot besuccessfully practieed by
every knight Of the leather apron 1t seems
to bealmost an impossibility for blaeksmiths
to omit trimming the frog of the foot, and
there is not one of the profession who does
not know that every particle taken from the
life and vitality OF the foot, and the horse
cannot travel easily, safely, or rapidly until
it is renewed. The blacksmiths' only plea
for trimming the frog is to give 1t q comely
shape. Again, blacksmiths' will apply hot
shoes to the foot, burning away the moisture
of the hoof, and leaving the surface as dry
and dead as well seasoned plank. "Opening
out the heels" as it is called, cutting away
the bars, misplacpg and insisting the shoes,
and various other denominations, may be seen
in almost every forge; and no remedy can
beifcuud except in the diffusion of informa-
ton on the subject among the masses, and
general waking up to the importance of good
.shoeing
The following extract from Capt. Ralstons
lecture conveys some important ideas upon
this subject, which we commend to the atten-
ton of owners of horses as well as farmers
and blacksmiths:
81" The feet of the horse, without which in
"a perfectly sound state the animal is nearly
worthless, and which is one eff the most re-
markable and delicate structures in the world
issubmitted to an unlearned, even an igno-
rant farrier-ignorant Of everything but the
trade of an iron worker--to fit with an iron
shoe intended not only for the preservation
the hoof, but to assist the horse in perform
ing his labor.
The hard horny walls of the foot that nature
has provided for its protection, this the igno-
rant farrier cuts and burns away to fit his
shoe, without thought of the injury he may
be doing by thus preventing by a badly fit
ted shoe, the elasticity and expansion of the
hoof AS he has no knowledge of the pur-
poses of that remarkable elastic cushion call
cd the frog, he pears that away to prevent
just what nature intended it for, to reach the
earth at every step, to break the jar of the
weight of the body, and prevent it from in
juring the bones, joints, tendons and machine
ry Of the legs.
The-elastic frog is peculiar structure that
yields to conclusion, and preserves the foot
from injury. If the shoe is so fixed as to
prevent the proper expansion, the smith eoun-
teracts nature, and disease ensues as a matter
Of course, and the frog loses its natural elias
ITCHY. ard becomes stiff and the yaluesof the
ahorse is permanently injured. The horny .por-
ton of the hoof too, is very peculiarly con-
structed, so that he is not sustained upon the
outer rim of the heof but as it were, upon q
ymass of curious springs, all combined togeth-
,er. No machine is equal to the mechanical
structure of the foot Of a horse, and yet they
are put into the hands of most unskilled per-
sons, who apply their.iron shoes without the
least knowledge or care about this curious
mechanism.
The foot of horse is most important
part of this animal, and requires great deal
of skill to keep it ia health 1T is a most
perfect piece Of mechanism, which suffers
greatly upon hard roads if not scientifically
protected. 1t cannot be preserved except by
great skill. Much of the ameness of horses
comes. from inconsiderate Notwithstanding
that tortures the poor creature, instead of PFC
tecting him from injury. The foot is not on
ly a mechanical structure, but very complex
one. Shooting needs great skill, not only to
fit and make shoe, but knowledge, acquir.
ed by.a study ofsits anatomy, how to treaa
the foot for, without the feet in good order
the horse is nearly worthless.
The cause of large portion of all leg dis
eases is found in bad shoeing. Sometimes
lamcness in the shoulder, which is called
sprained may be traced directly to unskill-
fu shoeing, perhaps at some distant period
and very large proportion Of all the disea
SEES of the limbs may betraeed tie injuries 4ha
have arisen not merely by the act of mailing
on the shoe, but from the injurious effects O
it upon the delicate structure of the foot arc
by sympathy of the other and more distant
parts"