The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-05-26
EYES AND FEET Of HORSES.

En1ToRs PREss:-I have no Ill Will
AGAINST blacksmiths and harness
makers, only l would be glad to les
sen their work-their field OF LABOR
in one or two directions. Horse
shoes and blinds drive me to the verge
of profanity. There are too many,
and for the most they are unneces-
sary evils. / think | may safely INC
truthfully make the assertion that
0ne-balf the number is entirely un-
necessary, and not only OF no use to
the horse or owner, but an evil and
useless expense. This is my opinion,
founded on what [ know.
Any day that | go on our crowded
streets, where all kinds of teams are
passing, / am more convinced that
the blinds over horses eyes and the
iron clogs on their feet are working
a serious evil. The eyes become
strained and distorted often the
flaps rub against the eyelids, and we
have in a little while either blindness
or impaired eyesight. In nine cases
out of ten the horses would travel
better and be more comfortable with
out the blinds. AS for shying or
watching the drivers motions, and
jumping if the whip is touched, a
little training and patience will over
come. all that. And how much bet
ter a horse looks, if he has any eyes
at all, without these barbarous flaps
| on either side of his head. [ have a
very good authority on my side that
these blinds are seldom necessary.
Some of the very best horse trainers
reject them entirely.
Afarmer met me the other day and
said he: "You have saved me a graf
deal Of money every year by the
suggestion some years ago that my
horses would do as well if not bet
ter without shoes. / have tried it
and find that [ seldom have a lame
horse now, and that their feet are
sound and sufficient for all the road
and farm work / need"
There are roads and times when
a sensibly shod horse will do better.
If he has to be used constantly and
over rocky road beds, or on such
pavements as San Francisco has in
some of her streets, the right kind
of a shoe, put on by the right kind
of a blacksmith-that is, one who
knows what a horses foot is made
of and good for-will be a great adj
vantage.
But over u soft country roads
and about our farms, for ordinary
teaming and riding, the horseshoe is
a cruel invention, and might, for all
useful purposes, be hung over the
door without the least discontinue
to the horse or bad luck to the in
habitant.
| would suggest this: Get your
blacksmith to trim and dress your
horses feet once or twice a month,
carefully rounding and shaping the
hoof as you would your finger nails.
If your blacksmith does not wish to
be troubled Che should be paid) to
do such light work, or if he does not
do it well, then get a large wood file
and attend to the matter yourself:
In a little while the hoof will grow
strong and tough 50 hat no road or
pavement that any horse should
travel on day after day will injure
his feet. You will avoid the acct
dents and dangers of careless horse
shoers, your horse will seldom be
famed by travel and the expense of
new shoes or resetting will be saved.
For more than 80 years [ have
practiced what [. preach in respect
to the above and have never had
reason to regret it.
G. l.. ANDERSON, NJ. ID.
Pacific Rural Press.