Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-10-18
Farm, Garden and House,
L. ID. II. COLLINS. Editor.
Horse Shoeinq.

Horse Shooting.
Mr.. EDITOR Il noticed an article not |
long since in the Standard, upon the sub
ject of Horse Shooting, in which the writer |
advises US to fit our shoes Getty STYLE" or
in other words, to turn the heel of the shoe |
round with the foot so that it will not pro-
ject any farther back than the foot. Now
if one horse shod in this way travels well,
does it follow that every horse should be
shod in the same way? If all horses were
just like that particular one, and their
owners would not allow them to wear their
shoes more than two or three weeks with
out being reset, it might do; but in this
country, where horses 60 from two to six
months without shoeing, it is my opinion
that at the next time shoeing, if the black
smith found the shoe at all, he would, af-
ter digging awhile, fiud it completely bed
ded into the foot instead of resting on the
shell of the foot as it should besides the
| frog of the foot would be more or less in
jured by the heel of the shoe coming in
contact with it. / think the best way to
ascertain how far back the heel of the shoe
ought to come is to place straight rod of
iron in an upright position as near the GEN.
ter of the leg as possible, and if the back
side of the heel calk strikes the floor Just
in front of the end of the rod it will in nine
cases out Of ten be right. The same writer
also says that the nails should never be
| driven more than three-fourths of an inch
high. Now, in the first place, if a nail is
clinched within that distance from the
head there is too much iron in the nail
where the clinch comes 10 make good work,
and too much of the hoof must be cut away
to allow such a clinch to be driven in level
with the outside Of the foot In the next
place horses that run in the pastures will
occasionally pull off their fore shoes in
spite of eight good nails well driven and
clinched and when put on in the way he
advises, if the clinch don't straighten off
comes the shoe and his three fourths of an
inch of hoof with it. In the same article
cast iron toe calks are recommended as be-
ing better than steel, but We are not told
how to tasten them to the shoes. This ar
gument is about equal to the one advanced
by the boy whose dad" had found out
by actual experiment that a cedar rail
fence would Out-last two stone walls.
Now brother blacksmith read my plan
and then do as you choose about following
suit :" Ifyou want a set of shoes for du-
rability make them out of old horse shoes
Thoroughly welded together; crease pretty
near the edge, not very deep; punch your
nail holes slantiug in toward the cen
ter of the shoe and small enough so the
nails will drive in tight; make your toe
calks out Of an old horse rasp, (be sure it
isn't cast iron, steel plug the heels with
the same material; make the shoe round
at the toe and as wide as the foot, which
you can do if the nail holes are properly
punched without having the nails come
out within three fourths of an inch Of the
edge of the hoof in spite Of you; let The
nails run up about an inch and fourth
cut off the clinches with a pair Of cut nip
pers, with the edges so adjusted that wheE
pressed down upon the hoof that they vii
leave the clinches just long enough to turI
down handsomely and of an equal length
cut away the hoof under the ciinch with
> small gouge just enough TO set the clincl
in level with the outside of the hoof: rasI
off the hoof 6ciolc the clinches and let j
alone above, then charge your custome
1925 and he will be better suited than b
would be with common machine shoes a
= SLIGO. My reason for recommending sucl
a shoe instead of steel is that steel IS to-
/ liable to break. and as long as it is KEEP
! well calked will last equally as long i
It shoeing a fat foot, dish the shoe jus
d enough to clear the inside of the foot
r dished too much the space between til
: shoe and the foot will only fill up wit
5. gravel and will lame the horse worse tina
l if the shoe rested on the inside of the foo
: Pare the foot level 50 the shoe will nc
4 rock, keeping the knife away from the he,
k as much as possible; put on a thick heele
shoe; make the toe cak low, and set th
u shoe we'll back; trim off enough of the tc
/ to prevent his stumbling aud finish as b.
d fore directed. II. d.
Greensboro, Oct 1870