The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-08-28
UnshOd Horses.


Tt seems strange that because a few
meu try to save the expense of shoeing
that 50 many others should think.
against their own common sense. wheth-
er it is possible to use horses without
shoes or not, and many have made their
own horses suffer paintryine in the ex-
pertinent. In nearly every part of the
world where horses are used the attempt
has been made without success, except
in countries like Algeria, where the
ground is sandy and soft. NOtwith-
standing the fact that it has been proved
to all intents and purposes that horses
must be shOd, people still try to work
--~c without shoes and make the unfor.
tunate aE'mal that happens to be their
property NfR2. needless pain. While
horses suffer without shoes, it is 90 pa
feared that with them they often have
to bear much pain, through TIE careless
ness Of blacksmiths. As a general rule
there is too much iron put in the shoes.
and, what is worse, the foot is often
made to at the shoe. instead of the shoe
fitting the foot While the foot is pro-
tected by the shoe the joints have to
bear the concussiOn caused by the hard
metal and the ground meeting at the
force thev do, and promising young hor-
ses often turn lame from navicuIar and
other diseases from this fact. A new
style Of shOeing has been tried and
found to be a great success but the
public, Notwithstanding that they know
the present style of shoeing is to some
extent wrong, are 10th to try ANYTHING
new.
The wall of the foot is really the only
part that requires protection, and wbv
is it necessary to cover half of the foot
with iron When horse is turned in
to pasture for any length of time a care
IA! owner will generally have tips put
on, OF narrow piece of iron put half
way round the front of the hoof. This
prevents the wall from being broken
away as it often is when the ground is
hard, and when the animal is brought
IN again the foot is found to be sound.
the freq has become plant and consid-
efabie expansion is to be noticed at the
heels, The frog, there is no doubt. was
meant by nature 70 save cOncussion and
to prevent slipping. Why cannot it be
used on the hard and slippery roads ?
This has been tried and with great sue
cess, and the Shoes that aIe used last
much longer than those used at present
aud save the horses legs to a greater
extent. The shoe is let into the wall /
and around the sole of the hoof to with /
in two inches of the heel, and the frog
Is allowed to come in contact with the !
ground. It has been used on both car
rage and draught horses in some of the /
largest cities in the world, but has not !
become generally known, owing to the /.
fact that hlacksmiths as a rule object to /
giving up their old stYIe for a new one I
they fancy not so profitable and difficult |
to learn.
The frog in its natural state is soft /
and like rubber. and if the knife is kept /
away from it VIII become Of great ben /
fit on slippery roads and do away with !
the most Injurious thing Of all, viz /
'corking'' or "heeIs." Iameness is !
often caused by contracted heels pro-
dueed by careless shoeiag, and if more |
owners would only go to the shop and |
see that shoes are made 60 e.. the noble /,
animal that nos only gives them pleas !
ure. but also puts money into their [.
pockets, would be saved many weeks of /
unnecessary torture. Ciy /
JOlnnol