Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-01-15
PASTURING A HORSE.

PASTURING A HORSE
After an experience OF three years with
Fanny, was extremely we'll satisfed with
my first investment in horse. flesh The mare
had proved to be all that the dealer had
claimed, I think he must have missed his vo-
cation, sound, high spirited but docile, and
good driver" had formed decided a..
fection for her, and felt very badly, after a
sharp trot, one evening in May, when dis.
covered that she was limping slightly in one
OF her forward feet, without stone, nail or
splinter, to account for the trouble. The
next day / drove her myself to the black
smith who had shod her since she came into
my possession. He said that it was possible
that ber shoe fretted her little. He put on
a new shoe, but with no good results and,
day or two later, | went to see him again.
This time be held a short consultation with
one of bis assistants, and then turned to me
with face full of COMMUNICATION.
There don't seem ter be any sense in con-
cealin' it, sir, he said. The fact is, the
mares leetle mite contracted for'ard-noth-
in butll be likely ter come out all right but
bein nice hoss, such ~ she is, / wouldn't
run no risks with her. The best thing you
can do, sir, is to turn her out ter pascher for
a few weeks"
He seemed so much exercised about the
matter that | thought be was afraid would
blame him for Fanny's d ficulty. l have
since learned that when a horse becomes in.
capactated for work before a green old age.
a disgrace, in the eyes OF "horse" men at
taches TO the owner. The blacksmith did
not wish me to feel that he regarded my mis-
fortune with anything but regret.
l expressed my willingness to follow his
advice, of course, and be removed Fanny's
shoes, and rounded of the ragged edges Of
her boots with infinite pains While be was
engaged, be informed me that there was a
large pasture but few miles from the city,
where, be happened to know, she might be
turned out. Mr.. Coolbroth, the owner of
the pasture, had recently told him that he
had room for a few more horses aud be
would undoubtedly be glad to accomm odate
mine.
wrote TO Mr.. Coolbroth that afternoon,
received a favorable response the next day,
and, on the following moring, started to
drive out to his farm, Fanny being led be-
hind the buggy by the hoster.
MIR. Coolbroth's farm lies Just beyond the
suburb OF Fosters Corner. l was driving
slowly out Of this village, when a young man
about eighteen years of age came along in a
wagon from the direction in which was
bound, and, pulling up at my side, asked if
my name WAS White, and il. was going to
OOolDIOtn pasture.
Upon my replying affirmatvely, he said
that be was Charles Coolbroth's son, and
that he would like to look at my mares feet,
If they had not already been examined by an
expert. l replied that they bad been care
fully attended to, but that he might look at
them II be chose to do so. He thereupou
jumped out of his wagon, and proceeded to
make an examination in a thoroughly profts
slonal manner that convinced me of his ia
miliarity with the subject. After tapping
Fanny's hoofs once or twice with his Jack
knife. and squee zing them between his hands,
he said, frankly, but with q panied express
sion, that it was just as he feared the mares
feet had not been properly attended to she
ought TO be taken to a blacksmith to have
them pared down; it would otherwise be
quite useless TO turn her out 10 pasture.
There was an excellent man at Fosters Cor
ner, he added, whom he could recommend
with confidence.
Wishing that Fanny should have every
possible advantage, turned about and drove
back to the blscksmiths shop at the Corner
The proprietor was greatly surprised that
anybody who knew anything at all about a
horse should think of turning one out with
out close pairing down of the hoofs. He
went to work at once to oblterate the nicely
rounded edges Of my friend, the city smith :;
and meanwhile, young Mr., Coolbroth spoke
Of the necessity Of blistering horses feet
in order to secure a good result from pastur-
ing. He assured me that, even after the
hoofs had been properly pared down, my
horse would derive but little benefit from
pasturing, unless she were bistered before
being turned loose. He began to instance a
case in point, but at the same moment the
uneasiness Of his own horse in the yard at
ttacted his attention, and he stepped outside
| the shop to quiet the animal.
The blacksmith then remarked in an under
tone, that, strictly between ourselves, he
would not recommend blstering be would
advise the use of blind barred shoe. He
said he had recently broadened horse foot
half an inch, in two weeks, by such q shoe
1t would be quite inexpensive, and would not
| hurt the selling OF my horse. Here l saw q
chance of escape. l told him that nothing
would induce me to sell Fanny, and that, al
though had no doubt of the excellent ef-
feet of blind barred shoe, preferred to
dispense with it until had tried the expert
iment of pasturing pure and simple. He
charged me dollar for his services which
| paid, with a suspicion that the amount was
excessive and then young Mr.. Coolbroth
and myself started again for the pasture.
The blacksmith said, as took up my reins,
that, If | should ever want a good blind
barred shoe, he would be glad TO put it on
for me, and that he could probably save me
dollar on the job.
Young Mr.. Coolbroth seemed to be very
much surprised to find veterinary surgeon
in his fathers stable, but, upon introducing
the doctor to me- he said that he could un-
hesitatingly recommend him for nything in
| his line. The doctor voluntarily made crit
ical examination of Fanny's feet, after which
he promised me that need have no fear of
serious difficulty, provided that blistering
| were resorted TO. He explained that should
| get an entirely new coronal band from this
process, the object, he said, which We were
striving to attain.
The older Mr.. Coolbroth-a fat, burly, lit
tie man, not at all after the style of most
| New England farmers-came out of the house
while the doctor was speaking and, having
bade me good morning, took me at once
aside. He said he supposed had been rec
commended all sorts OF things by people who
wanted to make something out of me-tbis
was curious world-hs own disinterested
advice, strictly in confidence, would be to
| get rid OF my mare as quickly as possible.
When horse once began to go unsound, he
said, it was all up with him. There were
plenty of ways to spend money on him, bui
they were all practically of no use.
Now he-Mr. Coolbroth-had q darling
little gelding, chestnut, Morgan blood in him,
"about 800, " as smooth as baby, not PIN
pie on him, which he would sell to me at
sacrifice. The little fellow was seven year,
old, and he wasn't any older he was good
style, and just the horse for me. Mr.. Cool
broth said he could offer him TO me for three
hundred and a half-three hundred and q
half would buy him, and three hundred anC
forty y-nine would not. Now, would like u
look at him2 Or, he had another horse, bay
with black points,, little more tony-lookeC
at things along the side of the road, but per
fectly gentle when properly handled-th'
price of which would be but four hundred
(Mr CoOlbroth did not use the word IDOL
lar.~
replied that had become very much at
tached to Fanny, and wished to make ever!