The Portland daily press., 1886-01-04
THE PRESS.
MONDAY MORNING, JANUARY 4.
[From Outing.]
PASTURINC a HORSE.
pY NArnAN cL1FFoRp Brown.


my first investment in horsefesh. The mare
had proved to be all that the dealer had
claimed q think he must have missed his vo-
cation), sound, high spirited but docile, and a
good driver" had formed decided af-
fection for her, and felt very badly after
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 Idrove her myself to the blacksmith who
had shod her since she came into my possess
sion. He said it was possible that her shoe
fretted her little. He put on a new shoe,
but with no good results; and a day or two
later | went to see him again. This time he
held short consultation with one of his
assistants and then turned to me with face
full of commiseration.
'sThere don't seem ter be any sense in con-
cealin' it, sir" he said. "The fact is, the
mares leetle mite contracted or'ard-noth-
in but'll be likely ter come out all right; but
bein nice hoss, such as she is, | wouldn't
run no risks with her. The best thing you
can do, sir, is to turn her out ter pahscher for
few weeks
He seemed so much exercised about the
matter that thought he was afraid would
blame him for Fanny's difficulty. | have
since learned that when horse becomes in
capaeitated for work before green old age,
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.
expressed my willingness to follow his
advice, of course, and he removed Fannys
shoes and rounded off the ragged edges of
her hoofs with infinite pains. While he was
engaged he informed me that there was a
large pasture but few miles from the city
where, he happened to know, she might be
turned out. Mr.. Coolbroth, the owner of
the pasture. had recently told him that he
had room for few more horses, and he
would undoubtedly be glad to accommodate
-aine.
Iwrote to Mr.. Coolbroth that afternoon,
received favorable response the next day,
and on the following morning started to
drive out to his farm, Fanny being led be-
hind the buggy by the hostler
MrsCoolbroth's farm lies just beyond the
suburb of Fosters Corner. Twas driving
slowly out of this village, when young man
about eigheeen years of age came along in
wagon from the direction in which was
bound and pulling up at my side, asked if
my name was White, and if / was going to
Coolbroth's pasture.
Upon my replying affirmatively, he said
that he 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. replied that they had been care
fully attended to, but that he might look at
them if he chose to do so. He thereupon
jumped out of his wagon and proceeded to
make an examination in a thoroughly profess
sonal manner that convinced me of his fa-
miliarity with the subject. After tapping
Fanny's hoofs once or twice with his jack
knife, and squeezing them between his hands
he said frankly, but with 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 blacksmith to have
them pared down; it would otherwise be
tie useless to turn her out to pasture.
here was an excellent man at Fosters Cor
r, he added, whom he could recommend
ith confidence.
Wishing that Fanny should have every
ossible advantage, turned about and drove
.ack to the blacksmith's shop at the Corner.
rhe proprietor was greatly surprised that
anybody who knew anything at all about
horse should think of turning one out with
out a close pairing down Of the hoof. He
went to work at once to obliterate 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 good result from pasturing.
He assured me that, even after the hoofs had
been properly pared down, my horse would
derive but little benefit from pasturing, un-
less she were blistered before being turned
loose. He began to instance case in point,
but at the same moment the uneasiness of
his own horse in the yard sttracted his at
tention, and he stepped outside the shop to
quiet the animal.
The blacksmith then remarked in an un
dertone that, strictly between ourselves, he
would not recommend blistering; he would
advise the use of blnd-barred shoe. He
said he had recently broadened horses
foot half an inch in twoweeks by such shoe.
1t would be quite inexpensive, and would
sot hurt the selling Of my horse.
Here saw chance of escape. told him
that nothing would induce me to sell Fanny
and that although | had no doubt Of the ex-
eellent effect of a blind-barred shoe, pre-
ferred to dispense with it until | had tried
the experiment Of pasturing, pure and sim
pie. He charged ME dollar for his services,
which | paid with suspicion that the
amount was excessive; and then young Mr..
Coolbreth and myself started again for the
pasture.
The blacksmith said, as took up my reins,
that if [ should ever want good, blind
barred shoe he would be glad to put it on for
me. and that he could probably save me
little 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 anything IN
his line The doctor voluntarily made
critical examination of Fanny's feet, after
which he promised me that need have no
fear of serious difficulty, provided that bis
terjng were resorted to. lie explained that
should get an entirely new coronal band
from this process, the object, he said which
re were striving to attain.
The older Mr. Coolbroth-a fat, burly lit
e man. not at all after the style of most
few England farmers came out of the
onsc while the doctor was speaking and,
l de me good morning, took me at
He said he supposed l had been
ded all sorts of things by people
ID to make something out of me-
curious world his own disinter-
dvice strictly in confidence, would be
id of my mare as quickly as possible.
horse once began to go unsound he
WAS all up with him. There were
ways to spend money on him, but
Il practically Of no use.
Mr.. Coolbroth-had darling
tg, chestnut, Morgan blood in
800" as smooth as a baby, not
m, which he would sell to me at
The little fellow was seven
nd he wasn't any older; he was
md just the horse for me. Mr..
10th said he could offer him to me for
roe hundred and half-three hundred
I'd half would buy him, and three hun
Al and forty-nine would not. Now, would