Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-03-11
Horses, HoOf.in winter.

The following advice with regard to the
care of horses hoofs in winter, which we find
copied into an exchange, contains much prac-
teal common sense, which we fear is not ap-
preciated by every owner Of this noble ami
NAL. The article says that lack of moisture
is not necessarily cause of brittleness of
the hoof, since the horse has a strong hoof
A continued drouth is especially dangerous
when it acts on a foot accustomed to album
dance of water. Under the action Of water
the horn cells absorb, increase in size and
push each other apart. By this action, too,
some of the gelatinous matter that builds up
the horn is dissolved out, and when the hoof
is again allowed to dry it has lost materially
in its power of cohesion. The more frequent
ly the process of soaking and drying is re-
peated, the more hurtful it proves to the
hoof, which becomes increasingly brittle and
liable TO split up. If, farther, this tendency
to brittleness has been inbred through gen.
erations of horses, where the feet are alter
nately soaked by drenching rains, and with
cred by drying suns, the danger is proper
tionately increased, and the feet of such a
race of horses are especially liable to split
ting and injury. It is not habitual dryness
that Injuries, it is the alterations of rain and
drouth.
While upon this subject it may be well to
note that the evil effects of moisture may be
largely warded of by smearing the moistened
foot with an impervious oily agent before ex-
posing it to the drying process. In this way
the moisture that has been absorbed by the
horn is retained, the sudden drying and
shrinking are obviated, and the horn remains
elastic and comparatively tough. As it is
often needful to soak the foot in warm or
cold water, or in poultces in case of disease,
it is all important that the above-named pre-
caution should be constantly borne in mind,
and that the softened foot should be smeared
throughout with some hoof ointment before
it is allowed to dry and harden. For this
purpose nothing is simpler or better than a
mixture in equal parts Of tar and whale oil or
lard. This may be smeared on the foot ev-
cry other day.
In addition to the changes of the weather,
the frequent standing in rotten dung heaps
or the pools of decomposed liquid
| manure, may be named as causes of brittle
hoofs. In the dung heap there is not only
the moisture aud steam soaking and soften
ing the hoof, but there is abundance Of am
monia gas, which is especially calculated to
soften, dissolve and destroy the horn. Rot
ten manure and putrid liquors, therefore,
are much more injurious than pure water
muddy pools, or wet clay. Again, the eman-
atoms of this kind are far from conducive to
general health, so that they prove hurtful in
two ways, first, by directly destroying the
substance of the hoof, and second by destroy
ing the animal vigor, the power of digestion
and assimilation, and the power of secreting
| good horn. Standing in such decomposing
organic matter is still more injurious, how
ever, when the animal is confined to stall
or box, for here the injurious effect of mac
tivity is added to the above-named condi-
| TONS