The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-08-10

We notice that in England the question Of
using horses shod or unshod is being discussed.
The Wayk Lane Express gives the testimony
of Mr. George Ransom, in the Times, who
saws that since 1862 he has constantly used
horses unshod, though he has owned over 200
horses at one time and used them for all kinds
of purposes over rough roads. Their h0Ots re-
Ouired pairing sometimes, but they grew so
tough that they could not be cut with an or
binary drawing knife but required steel nip
pers He argues that though horses used to
being shod would wear their hoofs out quick
ly if used Immediately after having their shoes
taken off, the same result would not follow II
they were brought gradually to regular work,
thus giving time for the soles of the hoofs to
acquire the necessary hardness and toughness.
On the London asphalt Mr.. Ransom thinks
horses would go much bitter and more safely
unshod
In dry soils and even in those that are rocky,
where horses are used to going unsh0d, thclr
hoofs become remarkably tough, ana tie AMI
mails, beside being very sure footed, suffer no
Inconvenience otherwise In situations where
the country is covered with II compact sward,
as for instance in the prairie region OF the W est,
and on the great plans beyond, the hoofs OF
horses sometimes SO OycrgrOw as to be cum
bersome, and require considerable cutting.
There is no doubt whatever that upon smooth
pavemcnts, as in our Western cities, and some
East, with care in first toughening the ho0tS
the animals would do good work and be in
finitely surcr footed than by the ordinary mode
of shoeng. Nevertheless we do not think
shoeing is injurious to the foot where 1t Is
properly done by men who thoroughly under
stand the conditions necessary.
In this connection it may be well to state
that hOofs of horses used upon soft land, where
there is moisture present, are always SOFT.
When driven on hard roads, without shocing,
such horses Will 90 dead lame sometimes be-
fore travelling Il mile. The reason is obvious.
The horn of the hoot, from constant saturation,
becomes soft and is not easily abraded upon
coming in contact with hard roads, but such
hoofs also become peculiarly sensitive IN Their
entire texture For this reason many farmers,
who have more or less to do during the spring
and fall months, keep II team or teams espe-
cially for the road, while those teams that are
continually worked on the farm 90 without
shoeing. As Il rule, we believe that, during
season between June and October, with lit
tie care, tafm-tcans may be kept without SHOES
and do the travel naturally incident to hard
roads, not only without shoes, but to the real
comfort of the teams as well. What is wanted
among farmers is that they inform themselves
upon what the hooi Of the horse is capable OF
enduring For instance: The street gamln
pulls off his shoes, if, indeed, he has them, as
soon as the days are warm, in the spring. For
the first week his feet are tender.and more or
less sensitive. Day by day, however, they be-
come tOughcned, until at last the soles are as
horn, which nothing can lacerate The hOot
of the horse is something like this. Continu,
ally soaked by the moisture Of spring, it Is
sensitive. As the season progresses and the
soil becomes dry, it becomes tough and hard
The hoof that in the early part of the season
would not stand hard road, at length, with
care will stand, without disability, almost any
thing that comes
There is another phase just here worth men
tionng. The horse which goes generally un
shod has tough hoofs, just as the savage who
goes poorly shod has hard soles to his feet, sc
far as shocing is concerned the actual sole OF
the hoofS of the horse, the mule and the OK art
in measure somewhat as in the human foot
fused to being protected by outer covering
they will he sensitive and tender Properly
hardened, and by natural means that will cast
w suggest themselves to every farmer and
every person who has the care of horses, they
become tough so that much cost of shOcing
NAV be saved and at the same time the AM
mails themselves are made more comfortable
than they would otherwise be. Else why dc
we pull of our boots for the easy slipper: VIII!
does the farmer ge barefoot on soft land' The
difficulty with the brute creation is we canno
understand their language, or, rather, we &c
not try to- five should, we might do mucl
to max those which arc under our ,ubjcctloI
far more comfortable than they now are
Prairie Fdrwer