Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-07-20
THE HORSES SHOULDERS.
How to Prevent Them From Becoming
Sore in Spring and Summer.

Sore in Spring and Summer.
Sores on horses shoulders can be
prev, nted. Called shoulders argue
poor management or negligence. Pre-
vention is easier than cure; and pre-
vention must begin some weeks before
hard spring work.
1t is one common fault of our farm
management to allow the horses to be
idle nearly altogether Throughout the
winter. 1t takes smart horse to earn
more in five months than he consumes
in twelve. More than one farmer
allows his horses to take from him in
winter what they gained for him in
summer. Work could be found during
the winter for the horses that would at
east pay for their keep; and they would
come to the spring work in much
better condition for it-their shoulders
toughencd and their muscles hardened.
The horse that remains idle most of
the time during the winter must have
its shoulders toughened in some way,
else the first month of hard pulling
will make gals. The best way to
tougher the unused shoulders is to
battle them with strong salt water.
This should be begun four to six weeks
before spring work. | keep an old
fruit can in the stable. Tie a rag
around a corn cob. Throw a handful
Of salt in the can, fill it with water, stir
till the salt is dissolved. and then
ipply it with the cob-rag arrangement
The work can be done in n few minutes,
and should be done each evening.
This salt water bath should be kept
up after the horses are put to the pillow.
rs the harness is rem wed in the even
ng, wash the shoulders clean with clear
water, and then apply the salt water.
rhc horses will enjoy it much. 1t
'ools and eases the fvverish, tired
shoulders. After employing this salt
water bath for ten years, l am con-
vinced that nothing else is so good a
preventive of CALLED shoulders.
An ill-fitting collar will produce
| gals rs soon as the horse is kept at
hard work. Harness is too carelessly
selected and fitted; often it is not fitted
at all Among horses shoulders there
is us great diversity of shape as
among mems noses. Whenever col
lar is got for a horse, the horse should
be brought to the store that the collar
may be fitted. Make the merchant
bring out every collar he has, if neces-
sary, to get fit ; and if fit can not
be got otherwise, have the collar al
tered. This can be done by making a
slit along the groove wherein the names
fit, opposite the spot on the face of the
collar which is too prominent. Through
the slit enough of the packing can be
removed, and a few blows on the face
of the collar will then reduce the
prominence. Next the collar must be
fitted to the names or the names to the
collar. The latter is the better when
it can be done without making the
names too weak. The names should
be shaved down until they fit close to
the collar at every point.
Throwing the collar into pond for a
week, oiling it with "rattle-snake
grease etc., is utter Stiffness. But
keeping it well oiled is a good preventive
of gals. The oil keeps the leather soft
and pliable, hence it is not apt to chafe
the flesh, and is more inclined to adapt
itself to the shoulder. For oilng har-
ness know of nothing else as good as
a mixture of two parts pure neatsfoot
oil and one part beef tallow A little
castor oil may be added if the mice are
inclined to nibble; but it is better to
| get n good mouser than to use the cas-
tor oil. The collar should be cleaned
of sweat and dirt each morning. A
dirty collar chafes. For cleaning, a
dull knife for taking off the rough
and II cloth for the finish are good.
Cloth pads to cover the entire face of
the collar are now made, and are good.
Many collars have one side harder than
the other; observe this and reject such
collars always.
Humane feelings aside, it is we'll to
avoid CALLED shoulders. The horse
with whole shoulders does more and
better work. He starts quicker, pulls
harder and more steadily, and does
not give up SO soon in a tight place.
More, very sore shoulder seriously
affects the health of the animal. The
pain affects its nervous system, and
lessons digestion and assimilation. The
effect is of the same nature, though.
perhaps, not so great as like pain
would have upon you.-John NJ. Stahi,
IN Country Gentleman.