The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-05-04
HORSE SHOEING.
Remarks made by Robert L. PEI before the
Farmers club, March 30h, 1858.

When you observe your horse Strengthening his
pastern bone, and thus throwing the weight of his
leg on his coffin bone, and sparng the naryicular
bone, you may make up your mind that he VIII
soon be very lame, and Hinety-nine times out of
hundred, you may attribute 1T to bad shoelng.
The foot of horse is composed of Sundry lamina,
combined in such to form perfect
and most elaborate spring, the elias ticity of which
only be secured, by giving it free scope to
pand and contract every time he moves; and this
can be accomplished by using five instead Of nine
nails and | frequently out three being par
ticular that the nails the lamna of the hoot
low, instead of high and that there is good clip
at the top of the toe The membrane lining the
horses hoof is exceedingly sensitive. This is an
anatomical fact, and must be borne in mind by the
smith, lest he wounds it. Blachsmiths always ask
you for what kind of work you wish your horses
shod and if you say to work before the plough in
stiff clay, he will probably put thirteen nails in
each shoe, which is a barbarous and unnecessary
humbug as three or five nails placed in perfect
ly welmade shoe will hold iton better than more, at
any kind of work that you may feel disposed to
put the horse to. | will engage to have any horse
shod, with three nails in his fore shoes, and five in
his hind shoes, and permit him to be used in soft
tenacious clay soil for month, without detrment
to them. s.r rs a ... f.f
And boldly assert that no horse, either large
or small, should ever have more than five nails IN
shoe and at the time that three will at all
times, and under all circumstances be sufficient if
the shoe is properly made and fitted. It is as
necessary that the shoe should be made to fit the
horses foot whatever shape it may be, it is that
the shoe should fit the human foot
[ never have yet met with Smith who did not
pad, trim, cut and burn the hoof to fit the shoe,
instead of arranging the shoe to fit the hoof If
you use FIVE nails, place three the outside, and
two inside the first may be placed one and
LIP 1. IL.
second on the centre or the quarter, and the third
behind. On the inside place the first nail one and
quarter inches from the toe, and the second an
inch behind it. You thus avoid pressure on the
sensitive parts of the hoof. When horse runs, he
clears at each bound about twenty-three feet, and
touches the ground with but one foot at time.
Consequently the whole weight of the animal falls
upon single shoe every leap he takes. r
AS Virgil has it, "Quadrupedante putrem soni-
tuqualit ungula campum 1t IS therefore indispen-
sable that it should fit the crust of the hoof from
heel to heel and have equal bearing all round;
and that the surface of the hoof which protects the
edges of the lamina should never be rasped with a
file. This the smith always does, as he considers
it the most ornamental part of his business, and
usually finishes off by destroying this wonderful
design of nature and not this alone, but likewise
pares the frog with his knife, which should on no
account be touched.
There is difference between the hind and fore
feet of horse; still the same rule holds good with
regard to the shoes; and in the arrangement for
the fore feet, they must be made to fit the foot in
such manner as to bring the heels near the frog,
and at the same to allow for the expansion of the
inside quarter
Blacksmiths usually square the toes of the hind
feet, and place clips each side of the shoes to
prevent them from striking against the heels of the
fore shoes, making the disagreeable noise you often
hear when the animal is travelling fast.
But as a horse never does thus strike the object
is defeated. The outer rim of the hind shoe
strikes the inner rim of the fore shoe in the rear
of the quarters. Consequently squaring the hind
toes adds to the difficulty instead Of remedying it.
1t is better practice to make the toe round, or
rather leave it as you find it, and turn a clip up in
the centre. The blacksmith should so arrange the
holes in the shoe, that the nails may be driven
straight through the strongest portion of the lami
na, across the gran and low downin the shank,
and the head must be hidden in the groove. Il is
customary so to incline the holes that it is next to
impossible to direct the nail in such a way not
to the horse disquietude, if he escapes prick
ing; broken knees ard irretrievable lameness are
often caused by misplaced nails but more frequent
ly by the abominable and objectionable careless
ness Of the smith when removing old shoes, which
he wrenches off with the most wanton violence, in
varably forcing the clenches through the crust by
immoderate force, thus unnecessarily destroying
the horn of the hoof.-- # -- aa,TI
| have seen smiths remove two shoes at time,
which should never be permitted, it causes the
horse to be restless, and induces him to stamp and
thus break the crust of the foot, besides causing
him much pain. as ea -z 81
How TO Use GUANo-1. Never mix it with