The sun., 1878-07-21
oU0HT HORSES TO BE sHoD9


horses should or should not be shod hns re-
Gently sprung up in England. Mr. George Ran
som. who has lived for the last three years in
Venezuela and for many years previous in Bra
zil. believes that horses ought never TO be shod.
Keep n rasp and larRo rough nlc' no
says and use them frequently on tho bottoms
as well a. edges of the hoofs. and on no account
allow n draw-knifc on your promises, or your
man will be cutting away the bars and frog, and
pairing the sole. Just as he sces the fnrrior do
thereby altering the foot from what the Al
mighty designed 1t. Icxcept no class of horses,
or any season. or any kind of road, or across
any country" Mr.. Hanson grounds his belief
on what he has seen in South America where
tho horses both in city and country are unshod.
He has driven and ridden unshod horses him
self constantly over since the yenr 1852; and In
Brazil he has often owned 200 horses at one
time, used for all purposes draught. saddle. and
pack. and not a shoe on any one of them. And
his horses were not working over grass or
sand. hut over the toughest roads imaginable.
In Brazil" he tells US. pack horses come
dow the country from over 800 miles. about
six weeks journey. carrying tho very heavy
load OF 800 pounds. exclusive OF saddle and
travelling necessarcs. Yet they get back again
with return load all sound and not an animal
among them Is shod. In the cities. the streets
OF which are paved and asphatod. the Europe
an. Arabian. and other carriage horses which
cost very long prices. are all unshod. and So
Slipping Is unknown"
Pull of your horses shoes and gradually let
him feel his foet. advises Mr. Ransom. keeping
the edges Of the hoof slightly rounded OIL with
rasp to prevent the raveling up of the edges
and. after year or two : experience. you will be-
ft..ftt .lxs a..
corns. splints. and other nusances brought on
10y shooing. Another point made by Mr. Ran
som Is that while 1t Is true that draught horses
have To dix their toes into the ground to- start
load It Is merely because they are shod. and
when left unshod they start with tho fiat Of the
loot. aud thus have more holding surface.
Three years ago. ON his arrival in Venezuela
whence lie has hut just returned. Mr.. Ransom
bought two saddle horses for the uso Of him
self and servant. lie writes;
took two houses NM two nilos apart, measured iv
iSs, with chain was IN the hatit of riding ff 300
one i1 The other on Tie same animal Boo day. ana
hcpt thom both iurins tho whole umc OF course if Vie
time nnshOl ana this in ull Seasons. over country tat
embraced every description oi roai from sVamps up o.
tock' mountain passes The worst road know oi B..
hraNA clay with stone mixed ~ in IT, amd after rain,
vet oven THIS only iruu4h out more strongly the AL, .
asc OF having no shoes odeal with
Mr. Ransom'- views are confirmed by other
gentlemen. Percy W. Doyle says:
Fvcr, word hc haswritcn about Brazil nptncse eiut.iv
io Mexico where lived or several Year.. AMI m, VN.
n,re Is ir same o.. i- a., go ihc Immense ad,ant,.c
rdr- aud driving un.hni horses The hoHf. lv ti.ir
natural growth. arc preserved irom MANY diseases
sr'"t> prolu c1 by u,c various sys.,us OF slo,lus
Major Gen. Robert c. Romer had experience
some years ago. when he commanded battery
Of royal artillery at Natal. in using horses with
out shoes. " The horses were. hr writes with
few exceptions. unshod IN their foreicet. and
nono We're .hod behind. and | was i'm the habit of
travelling tho guns over very rough ground
often over pr-tipitou-. and az times Very siu-
perry roads. | am satisfied they did their work
as well and with greater comfort 90 them-
selves not 90 meution ECONOMY. as II th"v had
heeu shod. NV own horso4 ~ which | hnd a
good many during tn" five years 7 was in Natal.
were never, with one exception. shod. and |
constantly rode them. hunting shooting. and
long d stances
Cnlerthr signature Of" Pomingolnrnn some
one writes that his experience of horses in Aus
traia. extending over number Of years on-
ahles him partially 20 confirm the opinion
expressed hy Mr. George Ransom. In Aus
irsla he informs us numbers OF horses
are used for various purposes without ba-
ing shod. The character Of the country in
which they arc so u-nd differs considerably.
som' being stony and hilly. others nof. aluyial.
"'' 0""''i ""'Ii "l'' '''N'N''' 'l ih''F i'i'-
urnl s;air. wherever artificial roads are made
II becomes necessary for horsn to he shol. AZ
la7-t an ptn f.r.f,., II ,,t .i,.,... ,.ii.t ,,
f -
f'I''lY SOUND "h'h E'lHs over country u
which they are accustomed however rocky 30
muy be- show signs II iameue-. when used un-
-hod on maaadamized roads Ia order t,at the
l'"" "a us'h" "h'l lV" NDlacs lli 'l'l'' ana towns
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