The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-10-27
Horse Shoeing.

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When we trke into consideration;
tle numerous inventions brought o.
ward for the Improvement of the shoe
and the unlimited amount of discus
sion concerning the preparation of the
foot for its reception, it is surprising
that so little progress has been made
toward lessening the sufferings of the
horse, whilst submitting to the pc
ration and its attendant inconvenien-
e. In offering a few practical sug
gestions to the readers of the Journal,
whereby much unnecessary pain &c
the animal may be obviated, we shall
first call their attention to the impor-
tant process o fparing the hoof. Here
is a work of more labor than many
horse owners imagine and from this
fact the operator will if not carefully
watched give himself as little trouble
and aportion o. the horn bc'permitted
to accumulate month after month, and
which in the unshod foot would by
contact with the ground be worn down
and the elasticity of the sole preserved.
Failing to remove this the foundation
is laid for navicular disease and infia-
nation with corns and contraction
The proper thickness of horn, wlIcr
the foot is ready to receive tie shoe,
may be ascertained by the pre- >sure %
the thumb ot the smiIh, the sole yief
ding in a slight degree to the force
exerted. The crust shou Il be left Il
little higher than the sole but reduced
to a perfect level all around. An au
thority speaking of pairing the hoo
gives as q rule that one third more
should be pared of from the toe than
from the heel as the pressure of the
shoe wears the heel much fast,r than
the toe.
The frog should be pared at least a
third OF an inch lower han the 81 les
of the foot. The bars which hold il
to the sides of the heel should not be
cut. The shuttle bone lies immediate
" upon the frog and when this Is al
lowed to grow down, so as to rest upon
the ground, an Injurious pressure is
brought to tear upon this bone and
its CONNECTION with the other bones
and the large hexor tendon of the
joint The foot having been prepared
a shoe to fit it is nextain order. You'd
att says: sit is expedient not only
that the. foot and the ground surface
of the shoe should be most accurately |
level, but that the crust should be ex-
actly smoothed and fitted t. the shoe.
The most accurate method of adapt
ing the shoe to the foot is by bringing
the shoe to a heat somewhat below a
red heat and applying it to the foot,
thereby detecting any slight elevations
by the deep color of the barpe ed horI.-
We would canton smiths however,
regarding the length OF time Of hol
ding the shoe, while heated, to the
foot, as anything approaching to bur
ming the shoe to its seat is not to be
countenanced in the least Every
horse that comes 10 the shop has a foot
of peculiar texture and shape. The
weight, habit and size of the horse
should be taken into, consideration.
the large heavy drauglit horse requi-
ring a much thicker and more heavy
shoe than small, light animals. a
very prevalent fault among smiths is
in leaving too much space between
the nails in tho toe of the shoe, as thet
shoes stay on much better when the
space here is small, this being the
strongest part OF the hooi. Concern
lag the length of time shoes should
be worn without injury to the foot,
Stewart writes: "I1orses with soft or
pumiced feet should not wear them
longer than forty or torty-fye days;
those of six or seven years of age
where their feet are good, may wear
them for sixty or seventy days; and
old horses if their feet have never been
injured, may keep them on three
months, the extreme length of time in
any case" Young horses with their
first shoes should not wear them lon
ger than forty days.
The injuries incurred by wearing
the shoes before the feet have become
formed, or have attained their
full size and hardness are many.
Colts should have on shoes but a little
part of the year. Nor should the colt
be shod ut all until he is at least
three years old, and even this is a
lier than is advisable Shoes may he
put OH the three years colt at the be,
ginning of winter and remain until
when they should be removed
and left off until the following au-
tunn.-Anc,icGn Stock Journal.
Second MARRIAGES.