The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-10-24
INJuDICIoTs HORSE sHnF1,r

Many, but not all, the sznitbsb,r.
the country, says the Western -
journal, are mere places where tb,-
practice mailing clumsy bent pieces -
iron to the bottom of horses f...
mainly that by having sharp proio,
tions upon these the horse NAV
prevented from slipping when n.
roads are covered with ice. 7, =
quite common that country horses -
to the shop with feet grown well f,9-
ward and downward, because upon ~.
soft titled ground, or. better stjD ~.
carpeted pasture, there is out IftI.
wear upon the farm horses foot. and
it grows apace. Now, 20 prons-l-
trim down a hoof greatly elongafad h.
this process Of growing forward sr5
downward, the trimming should h
done mainly on the bottom Of the lo1f
So much of il should be done there =,
can be done without getting too no.
the sensitive portion OF the foot
horse upon pasture during much of
the season, and -Ipon plowed grou8j
much of tic remainder. will bars
thick layer. This requires a va-v
sharp tool to shave OF, and mos,
smiths are careless about keeUfr,
their buttress sharp enough for Gts
work, and for this reason, and on aa
count Of the greater ease which -.
tends chipping off the toe, after lsr.
ing set the shoe back from the nom.
of the hoof, the average smith will
practice this mode.
Now, a little reflection viii enable
any ore to see that tn S kind of trim.
ming will cause the pasten Joint tofa
too much fixed, the toe being unnatu.
rally elevated through the failure 70
cut away the undue thickcning upoB
the bottom Of the hoOf in its front
1 half. This setting of the shoe back
from the part stated involves the cut.
ting away, usually in a very rough
manner, OF the surplus which projects
/ fol ward of the shoe /. also involves
a large amount Of Tasping upon the
! face of the hoof, which in no case
should be tolerated This undue de-
structiOn Of the crust of the h00f IS
/ one Of the very worst features Of this
. kind Of shOeing, because hOOt mu.ila-
ted upon its face dries out, becomes
feverish and brittle, losing its elasticity
During many years that we have
/ kept horses for farm and other work.
/ it has been our custom to stand By
! the smith in cases requiring the watch
/ fulness, exacting that the surplus
/ growth be removed, 50 far was c0nsis-
/ tent. from the bottom Of the foot
+ This being done, we have required
that the shoe be set close forward 90
the edge Of the hOOf. being shaped TO
suit the shape Of the hoOf allowing no
/ rasping Of the face Of the L00f, uei,L.
er any cutting away Of the toe after
the hoe was fastened, except mercy
to trim off points, these sometimes ap
pearing. We much prefer that .lg
edge Of the hoof shall he left project
ing bevOnd the shoe an eighth, or even
a fourth Of an inch, rather than tlt
face of the hOof receive g touch iT0E
the heathenish rasp. And we Wi, add
that an objection to this mode o. shoe
ing, making equal with any vet named
IS found in the abominable practice O
driving nails so far back into the bod.
of the hOof as to come close TO an
many times enter the sensitive portion
/ 1t Will be readily seen at the she
I cannot be set far back without render
ing it quite necessary to place i1
nails far back in the foOt-tOo iar i
decd for safety.