The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-08-27


One of the most constant sources of
surprise, says the San Francisco ChrOR-
icie, TO those accustomed to use horses
in the city. rs well rs TO newcomers in
the state used to seeing the Creates
care bestowed among eastern farmers
in the matter of shoeing their horses, il
i'm the almost universal prevalence i'm
California of the practice of allowing
horses to remain barefOoted for all
ordinary farm work. 1t is the exception
and not the rule in the rural districts
here TO see farm team kept shOd. The
absence of cold weather, with its attend
ant frozen earth and ice, is of course in
large measure responsible for this
practice There are many reasons, how
ever, why the custom is a good one, and
should be more generally adopted where
climate conditions permit
The first consideration among settlers
of limited means is, of course, that a
very large item of expense is thereby
saved, and much time otherwise lost is
gained. Ninc-tenths of the injuries to
which horses are subject are caused by
improper shoeing. 1t is the exception
and not the rule to find blacksmith
who thoroughly understands his bust
ness, and who does not burn and pare
the hoofs of the horses left To his tender
mercies until they are irrcparably in
| jured. Hundreds of valuable horses
are ruined every year from being shod
by some cross-road blacksmith who
barely knows how to drive II shoc-nail
On this account. then. whenever it is
practicable, the horses may just as well
| DO left unshod. Their hOofs will re-
quire little trimming or rasping every
month or six weeks, but otherwise they
will keep themselves in good condition.
| Where the animals are To be used on
ordinary roads and at ordinary farm
work no shoes are necessary. OF course,
if they are to be ridden or driven over
rocky mountain trails and roads il will
be necessary to protect their feet. but
oftentimes it will be found sufficient
simply to shoe the fore feet, where most
of the strain comes.
Where horses are raised, rs they are
largely in this state in hilly and noun
famous regions. their hoofs at an early
date become tOughened and hard, and
can stand much more without being
shod than the horses raised on the soft
ground of the valley. A distinction
should always be made then, when the
question of shoeing arises, between
horses raised on soft ground and those
brought up on gravelly or rocky soil. A
good example is afforded by the Indian
horses. They are never shOd, and yet
will travel distances over the toughest
sort of country at high speed that would
completely break down a "civilized''
horse, no matter how carefully shod.
Even when the ground freezes it may be
that for ordinary purposes it will be
found that no Shoeing is needed. This
of course, is not susceptible of demon.
stration here. What is claimed in Cal.
ifornia is that for all farm work, except
for continual travel over rocky roads
it is not necessary, but, on the contrary
is a positive benefit not To shoe tn,
horses. Many instances might be cited
of horses that have been worked unit
they died of old age who had never
worn a shoe. and prob bly would no
have done half so we'll or lived nearly
so long If they had been given them
Another consideration not without som,
weight is that when q horse kicks, n
kick they will sometimes, it does no
hurt half as badly to receive blow
from an unshod rs from a shod hoof
Actual experience prompts the Offering
LOT fhiS