Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-06-09
Shoeing Horses.


uorance in shOeing. The National Live
Stock Journal has these suggestions on the
subject:
Smiths are very apt, on being told, or
seeing, that horse cuts, to shoe him "thick-
heeled," as il is termed, on the inside, or TO
make his shoe altogether thicker on the in
side than the out. They tell you that by this
mode they turn or twist the ankle further out
of the way Of the passing leg This is true I;
but they are not aware that by removing
the ankle of the standing leg-say an inch
further out of the way--they bring the pass.
ing leg three inches nearer the standing one.
To show the effect of this, let any one place
bit Of wood an inch thick under the inside
Of the tread Of his shoe; if Be does this
by the right foot, he will find his body thrown
out Of equilibrium to the right. Let him in
this position, attempt to pass his left leg by
the other; he will find it inclined to touch
the standing leg. Now let him remove the
piece of wood, and place il under his right
loot, on the outside Of his tread he will 6nd,
though it may bring his ankle nearer the
left leg, that his leg in passing will be some
inches away from it. His body is thrown
out Of equilibrium TO the left the left leg
follows the body, and, try as he will, he will
6nd that he cannot bring it, in passing, close
to the right standing leg. ...... ....
No shoe should ever be nailed to the foot
until it has been ascertained that the press
ure Of the hand is sufficient to keep it stead
lily in its place, and preclude any appear
a n nF a vlinht haf ftua IL nd kha cNOf A
notion prevails in many places that the shoe
gives the practical form Of the foot This is a
mistake, for no foot can possibly be affected
by any form Of shoe it may stand upon. 1t
is the situation Of the nails that alters tho
form Of the foot, by preventing its expansion,
and such prevention Of expansion is the cause
Of much Of the lameness affecting the foot.
In putting on the shoe, the nails should be
driven with a gentle hand, and they ought
not by any means to be clenched very tight.
Hard driving and clean tight clenching will
bend the hoof, at the place where the
clenehes are turned, inwards and downwards
towards the shoe, in such manner as to in
jure the tender parts contained within the
cavity Of the foot. Besides, it is not neces-
sary Tor a man to forget he is working with
the foot Of living animal. The shoe will
remain on sufficient length of time with
gentle driving and elenehing, provided
it is properly fitted to the foot. II it has a
thoroughly even bearing, there will bo little
stress on the nails. Coarse nails often split
the hoof, and thus keep it continually broken.
A fine nail will answer all the purposes re-
quired, if 1t is made of the right material
The clenohes should not be rasped away too
fine, nor should the covering of the hoof be
allowed to be rasped away (as nearly every
smith seems to delight in doing) it destroy.
the covering provided by nature as a protec.
tion against the too rapid evaporation of the
moisture Of the hoof and causes the horn t
become dry aud brittle. ..i, ....
ln connection Of the application of the
shoe, we know of no worse fashion than the
one which the smith has Of iorcibly taking
hold with the thong and hammering the
shoe TO the one side or other after three or foui
nails have been driven, for the purpose o
putting it straight on the foot. This is
speedy method Of making up for his want o.
accuracy in placing it at first but it SHOULD
never be praeticed. II strains all the nail
which have already been driven, and is cal
culated to do serious damage to the foot
ln assisting horses in drawing heavy
weights up hill, very good deal may b,
done in 4 way that is very little attended
to; namely, by proper hind shoe. N
doubt many Of our readers, when ridiRg on
load and going up bill, have noticed twist
ing Of their horses hooks, and indeed th,
whole leg, from side to side. This chief,
arises from the bad form of the shoe. 1t /
quite clear that in going up steep hills, tn
toe of the hind foot takes the first bearing OF
the ground indeed, some horses, ou thes
occasions. hardly press in with the heel at all
1t mus be quite evident that the greater
expanse Of bearing we give foot on tn
earth the 6rmer must be the tread aud a
the hind foot is the great fulcrum by whicl
horse gets up hill with q load, too muc
attention cannot DO given to effect the frmes
hold for ii. The toes Of hind shoes are yer,
generally made round, or nearly So the cou
sequence is, the horses toe comes to tn
ground on very small segment Of a circle
in fact, on a pivot-the effect of which i
the foot turns to the right aud left, and tn
legs and hooks naturally follow the turn @
the foot this, of course, produces the twis
ing of the hooks alluded to, aud the leg ne
kept straight, the horse loses large porto
Of his powers spavlns, curbs, thorough pin
aud strained hgaments aud tendons are III
future consequences, and fatigue the preser
one. For horses that have to work hard Q
hilly roads, OF in hilly country, hind shO,
should be made square at the too to the ver
extreme verge Of the foot. 1t then com
| to the ground with from two inches to tV
} aud half inches Of firm hold whereas,
many inaLn mag II haa mot nuar An innh