Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-22
Germantown Telegraph


The following advice and comments on this
subject, which We find In the chicago Field, is
timely, and Of more Importance than large
majority OF persons keeping horses ever dream
OF; cn Ia eoG eann lot put Know however how
horses hO0fs. They cannot but observe, when
a horseman examines an animal, that the hoof
is the first object that attracts his attention,
and With what care he ScrutiniZeS every part of
II. Hence, the remarks which we append will
be acknowledged to be well expressed, and the
information impaired TO be worth the first con-
sideration In the management OF the hoof OF the
horse
LACK OF moisture Is not necessarily a cause
OF bIittleness OF the hOof. since the horse has
strong hoof. A continued drought is especially
dangerous when 1t acts on foot accustomed 10
abundance 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
dissolved out and when the hOof Is again allowed
to dry 1t has lost materially in its power OF cohe
sion. The more frequently the process OF soak
ing and dyng repeated the more
brittle and liable to split up. II, farther, this
tendency to brittleness has been inbred through
generations OF horses, where the feet are alter
nately soaked by drenching rains, and Withered
by drying suns, the danger is prOpOrtiOnately in.
creased, and the feet OF such race OF horses are
especially liable to splitting and injury. 1t is
not habltual dryness that Injuries, 1t is the al
formations OF rain and drought. While upon
this subject it may be well to note that the
evil effects of moisture may be largely warded
of by smeariDg the moistened foot with an i'm
pervl0uS oily agent before exposing 1t to the
drying process. In this way the moisture that
has been absorbed by the horn is retained, the
sudden drying and shrinking are obvtated, and
the horn remains elastic and comparatively
tough. AS it Is often needful to soak the foot
In warm or cold water, or In pOult1ces In cases
OF disease, 1t is all important that the above.
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 nor better than
mixture in equal parts OF tar and whale OIL or
lard. This may be smeared on the foot every
other day.
ain 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 and steam
Of IS
calculated to soften, dissolve and destroy tn /,
horn. Rotten manure and putrid liquors, there
fore are n much more injurious than pure water
tons OF this kind are far from conducive to gen.
eral health, so that they prove hurtful In two
ways, 1st by directly DESTROYING the substance OF
the power OF digestion and assimilation, and
| the power OF secreting good horn. Standing In
such decomposlng organic matter Is still more
to stall or box, for here the injurious eject OF
| Inactivity Is added to the above named con-
ditions Long exposure 70 wet and mud also at
I this time of year frequently produce cracks and
| other troubles In horses feet The prevention
Is In keeping the feet clean by frequent washing
and wiping dry with coarse stable cloth.
little crude petroleum applied to the feet before
| the horses are taken from the stable win help
| greatly In preventing them from becoming
cracked. Il the feet are already In bad shape
they should be bandaged and the horse kept
effective prevention OF troubles To the feet Of
| horses