The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-01

The Horses FrOg.-If we were to go |
to many blacksmith, and ask him if |
he did not think nature had made
mistake in putting the clumsy frog into |
the horses foot, he would hardly be |
ready to say yes, and very likely would |
put on surprised look, and perhaps ex
plain that in some countries horses did |
very well without shoes, and so the frog |
was we'll enough left to care for itself |
But, while not ready to take ground
with you in any criticism of the plan
upon which the foot is constructed, you
have but to look in the corner of the
shop where two horses stand newly shod,
lift up their feet and observe for your
self, that if the smith has not said it, the
knife has said the frog is bad thing,
and must be cut away. The horses do
not stand on the ground, but nearly half
an inch higher, on the iron of their
shoes, and which takes the weight Of the
horse on the outer shell of the hoof. The
practice is as sensible as it would be for
a man who had to travel on all fours, tax
ing the weight on the nails of his fingers
and toes rather than on the cushion
which lies behind them. It is always
| the soft part-the India-rubber part of
the feet of animals that have such
which receives the weight. and not the
shelly hard part. We know what an
elephants foot is; it is all rubber-like.
The horse has the same encased in a
she'll, which gives the horse accuracy
and steadiness of movement. Now this
casing protects the frog. 1t grows
slowly; the frog grows rapidly. The
healthy foot of the colt shows center, if
not projecting, at least level with the
line of the hoOf. He does not take his
weight wholly on the rim of his feet. Old
horses would have feet more like them,
if only blacksmiths would allow they
knew a little less than nature, and
really knew enough to read her in
tentions.
The object in shoeing the animal,
aside from the occasional one of chang
ing its gait, is simply to prevent the
wear and shattering of the outer shell,
and to enable it to take firmer hold of
the ground, escaping the slipping of the
unshod horn.
1t is an unfortunate incident of OUR
system of shoeing, that the horse is
raised from the ground, as boy is when
he mounts stills.
Ashes for Cattle.-An exchange says,
"One of our substantial subscribers, in a
recent conversation, gave his experience
in treating stock affected with the habit
of eating wood, chewing bones, etc. His
cattle were, one spring, affected in this
way they beeame thin in flesh, refused
to eat hay, and presented sickly appear
ance. He put about four bushels OF
leached ashes in his barnyard, and threw
out to them about shovelful each day
They all eat it with evident relish
After turning them out to pasture, he
put one peck Of dry ashes per week OIL
the ground In the pasture. They ate il
all up and gnawed off the grass where il
had been lying. The cattle began tt
improve, gaining flesh and looking bettel
l than they had for several years. He nov
r gives one quart of ashes mixed with the
same quantity of salt to twelve. head O
Q cattle about once week, and hnds it tx
a agree with them woderfully."
; The Rural World says, off you wan
to keep hogs. horses, cattle and sheet
o healthy, give them salt regularly. Their
t is no better vermifuge than salt. Mucl
9 of the so-called hog cholera is due to in
testinal worms. Plenty of salt woul'
r prevent the accumulation Of thes
!. worH1s. Ali animals desire salt, show
T ing that it is want of their nature, an,
!, undoubtedly for wise purposes