The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1872-03-28
Horse ShOeIng.

In America there have been many
attempts to render the art of horse
shoeing free from defect and less
laboriOus.
These rs a general thing, have con.
sisted of patented articles, some OF
them seeking to render the causes of
lameness less operative, but the great
er numbers proposing to do by
machinery the labor of forging shoes
and nails.
Probably over 500 patents have been
granted in the United States for alleg-
ed Improvements in horse-shoes and
tools, and other appliances used in the
manufacture and application; perhaps
even q larger number than this.
Among those intended to cure and
prevent Iameness, there have been
shoes split at the heels, with thick
rubber inserted, and those consisting
of two plates, the lower one TO be
nailed TO the hOof, and the upper one
to be screwed on to that, with piece
of rubber of corresponding shape be-
tween them. Then we have had in
Vulnerable other kinds of 'pads and
protectors" to be nailed on between
the shoe and hOOf, all being intended
to ward Oft icon cusssioB," !" as if nature
had not amply provided for that.
Expansion shoes, constructed on
principles known hundreds of years
ago and varying but little in design
from those formerly in use in other
countries; shoes TO be fastened on
without nails, and the same endless
variety Of notions which have had
their day IN England, have and are
constantly being repeated here, TO the
great disgust of all who understand
and recognize their want of utility
and to the great damage, generally,
of whoever, through ignorance, is
tempted to give them a trial. Beyond
an occasional reference to the subject,
in agricultural and sporting papers; an
American edition of "Miles, on the
Horses Foot" and one of "GOOdwin
on Shoeing,D we have had nothing in
the shape of literature, or practical or
scientific instruction, from persons
who were supposed to be qualified to
teach the details of what belongs to
good shoeing, or the proper care of the
| Eaat consequently II Is found thai
lfnrfleFy IS IN much the same. If moi
worse plight, than it was for long
time in England.
The same division and lack of quail
fed opinion exists, and the same old
fashioned ideas prevail regarding
lameness, its causes and remedies, as
were formerly taught in the English
schools and published in English
books, which not only did irreparable
injury in their application, but at the
same time prevented those problems
from being correctly solved.
1t is well known that large num-
Der of those who call themselves
veterinary surgeons are much below
the ordinary standard of education,
many of them, in our large cities aud
towns, being scarcely able to read or
write.
am satisfied that such persons do
the public some good, but far from
harm; at the same time, they debase
and lower in general estimation the
profession of which they claim to be
members; still the day will come when
the mask will drop, and true veteri-
nary science will be appreciated by
the many, as it is now, comparative
", only by few. When that day
arrives, it will also be apparent that
"Hygienic HGrse-ShOeing," which
means the practical application of
rightly-formed shoes to the feet-the
natural strength and correct proper
tions of which have been preserved
consists in something far more impOr-
tant, yet simpler, than the fancy
hammering and filing of iron, or the
sO-called scientific methods of open
ing the foot, by cutting and weaken
ing the hoof-Ne1O York, Turf, Field,
and Farm.