The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-03-10
PAIRING the Horse. Foot.


In a state of nature, the growth OF
the foot, and the wear and tear are,
generally speaking, pretty equal, when
the latter exceeds the former the AMI
NAL becomes tender-footed, which in
duces him to rest till the horn becomes
replenished. This is the case in South
America where horses run wild in large
droves and are caught as required
worked till they are tender-footed, and
then les loose till they again become
sound.
Our object in pairing the foot is to
make the removal of horn equal to the
growth of the foot; to do that, indeed,
which would have been doue by wear
and tear if the horse had been unshod
and taking his natural exercise. We see
the effects of not pairing in some horses,
in whom the shoes are allowed to 70.
main on for some months without being
removed; the crest become. amazingly
long, the sole thic&, and the animal
trips aud stunbles at every step. This
inordinate growth Of horn is mOTs fco.
quently perceptible in asses WHOSE labor
is usually light, and whose feet arc neg
lected from motives of economy. In
these animals we sometimes witness the
crust double the ordinary length, and
curling up so that the toe does not meet
the ground at all. These eases show
thai tho foot requires pairing, as a sub
stitute for its natural wear, from which
shoeing relieves il; and it is also neces
sary, in order to have at each time Of
shoeing, fresh portion Of horn for the
attachment of the shoe by means of the
nails.
In preparing the foot for the shoe,
after carefully removing any old stubs
that mi ght remain, the crust should be
lowered with the rasp from the toe to
heels, which being done, the sole should
be pared with drawing knife. 1t will
generally be seen, that if the foot has
been previously stopped, the old flakes
of horn can be removed without any
difficulty, and they present somewhat
the appearance of cheese rind, ard al
together different from the tough firm
horn found above. Care must bel AIKEN
to remove a portion of the horn between
the crust and bars, so that the heels of
the crust should be higher than the
heels of the solo. Generally speaking
the removal of these flakes, and ragged
portions will be sufficient. The bars
will simply require cleaning and
removing any loose portions
without diminishing their strength
in the least degree. The heels,
that is, the junction of the bars with
the crust will sometimes curl inwards;
if 50, they should be Strengthened by
the removal of little horn. 1t Is al
most general custom for smiths to
open the heels as they term it, by cut
ting away great portion of the infe-
rior and posterior portion of the bars
this they think extremely clever. 1t
certainly, by widening the commissures,
makes a narrow foot appear wider, but
il requires no argument to show that
its effect must be to weaken the heels,
by withdrawing a great portion of one
of the walls or buttresSes which con-
stitutes its strength, aud thus it assists
contraction.
Some owners on sending horse to the
forge, give instruction that the frog is
on no account to be touched. Now this
is very unwise, for although smiths are
always inclined from the facility of the
operation to cut the frog unnecessarily,
aud therefore require TO be checked, yet
the total abstinence of the knife is
likely to predispOse thrushes, or if they
exist, to render them worse. The frog
will grow too luxuriantly and become
ragged, inasmuch, as in the shod foot it |
cannet receive the same wear and |
pressure that it would if unshod. |
In consequence of this the frog
often touches the bars, having a va
cant space above, which serves to har-
Dor wet and filth, by which tbrushes
are often produced. Now, the commits.
sures ought to he cleaned out % that |
their deepest part can be seen, and as
much of the frog removed as is neces-
sary for this purpose, all ragged por-
tions of the frog should be removed;
and if there be any cracks into which |
the dirt has penetrated, they should be
cut out rs far as the dirt extends. Thus
far the knife should go, aud 10 farther;
tuO ilOS uluSb W hO ibNouo W NuO away
merely because tho smith fancies il to
be too LARGE. 1t must be evident, that
some feet will require little or no pairing |
whatever, beyond the removal of loose
irregular parts-the heels of such feet |
require to be preserved with the incest |
care. In week feet moro particularly,
though in all feet il is desirable thai !
the removal of the horny sole es the
heels should be accomplished with a
small drawing knife for il large one
be used, the bars in all probability will
be est away with the sole, and thus the
heels will be iDjugiously weakened. In
other feet the growth is so great as 10 |
require q considerable removal O. horn |
ut each time of shooting. ThnS, no fixed
directions can be given for the removal |
of horn in all cases-it must DO deter
mined by the nature and condition OF
the feet.