The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1880-03-05
thoughts ON &he Feet of Horses
and ShOeinS.

Of the frog is removed, it never again is
fully reproduced, and that this is the rea-
con why we can not find it in many
shod horses. It not only protects the
navicular bone, but, to certain extent,
the cofinoint. Yet there is no part of
the frog with which greater liberties
are taken than with this. In fact, it
generally undergoes pretty essential
whiting every time the horse has an
introduction to the man of knife and
hammer. The bulb of the toe once re-
moved nature causes augmented secre-
tion OF horny surface to supply the de.
ficiencY. The secretion is very abun-
dant, but nature is no match against
edged tools-the faster .goes the better
chance is there, by those who feel dis
posed to whittle, at every subsequent
shoeIng. Such extraordinary efforts at
reproduction impairs the secretory func-
tion, and we then have a hard, brittle
substance destitute of elasticity, which
almost defies the knife OF the sh Ger
Then consider the frog itself-.hat we'll
defined promontory that cushion-lilre
substance, which, by coming III contact
with the ground, prevents jar and con-
Eussion, not only to the sensitive tissues
within the hoof, but to the joints
above-in fact, it lessons body coDcues-
ion. It is part which develops itself
In the same ratio with the hoof and sole,
establishing q strong bond of union
between the sensitive tissues and the
iDsensible. A part, therefore, which
serves as the basis of the animal struct.
ure, can not be removed with impunity.
Cut away the frog and we take away
the solar support, and prevent that
sole coming in contact with the ground.
Now put on shoe having no bearing
but against the hoof, and we shall
readily perceive that the horses weight
is borne by the hoof. So great weight,
having no opposing resistance, except
that furnished by the inside of the hoof,
must naturally lead to strain of the
aDimal ard desc Mt Of sole. Descent
of sole implies laminal d;slocation, the
the horse then is in partly ruined
condition. We contend, therefore. that
the frog should seldom, if ever, be in.
terfered with. We remove the rough
and loose portions about as much Is
the animal without shoes would natlr-
ally wear of, and this is not always
good policy, for the ragged, uneven
parts often serve as protection to the
new formations above. The parts
look better for pairing, we grant, but
health does not consist of beauty alone.
We have seen very handsome horses.
yet having the finger of death on them.
You may get very handsome hoof by
rasping or sctapiDg it with glass, but
we will defy any man TO make healthy
one by the same process. The time
has been, when the cntting away of The
frog was recommended by some very
eminent men, SO that the smiths who
now practice it in good faith, are nc
more to be Blamed than the farrie.
One author has tried to smooth ovel
the affair, by observing that the frog
offers SO little resistance to the knife
and presents such an. even surfzce-sc
clean, nice, and smooth, that it requires
more philosophy than smiths generally
possess TO resist the temptation to slice
il away. despite knowledge that il
would be far wiser to let it alone. i
the opinion of veterinary surgeons j.
of any value, the reader must confess
that the error Of pairing the frog is in
inrious. One of the best authors OF
the subject, says that he never allows 9
knife TO approach the frog, because ex
pertinent has shows that the frog pos
esses less power of reproducing horn
than other rarte, and the same individua
has had horses in his possession five
years whose frogs never made the
acqnaintaDce of . knife. Examine Ght
structure of the frog, and you will find
that 1t is covered with thin, delicats
envelopes texture once removed il
sparingly reproduced Cat it of and
the parts beneath are unprotected--un
fitted 60 grappIe with the hsrd ground
or exposure to aanorpheric changes
They contract in cDnsaqheuceoi violanct
or exposure, and We gefan inferior frog
But the readsr may ask How ls ths
frog todiSencumherftseit Of itssppareDt
" rugged ands nuperfuous surfaces
answer natnres has provided :