Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-26

GEN. GRANT AND HIS HORSES.

modore.
GEN. GRANT AND HIS HORSES.
recall with good deal of interest my ac-
quaintance with Gen. Grant and how it began
about horses 1t was about twenty-five years
ago that he made On appointment with me at
Washington. We met there three times alto
gether, and the general proved himself not
only lover of the horse. but to have pretty
good understanding Of the subject. He brought
out a saddle bay-one Of his army chargers-to
be shod and treated for u habit Of crossing his
hind legs while in action, and also when stand
ing. This was quickly redressed to the great
delight of the general, who, although he owned
horses all his lie, had never supposed that the
formation of the feet was the cause Of standing
in this manner.
III were asked to furnish practical hint
to those who own good horses as to the best
method Of caring for their feet, would saw:
Trim them early. just as you would trim
young tree to make it grow right. Cultivate
the hoof il you want it to be perfect Shoe
them when they are from six months to a year
old, once a month if you work them, with the
assurance that You can get the foot in better
shape when 1t rests on q metal plate as a base
and support than without it. Some have said
that the foot of very few horses are perfect
and my experience goes to show that a great
number OF those encounter are So Feet like
those OF Dexter and Sunol are rare exceptions;
but there is little reason why a horse should
suffer with his feet, if his wner knows how to
take care of them and does it. There are
many differences in horses in this respect The
weak. spongy hoof that aflicts some that are
pastured ON low ground. giving rise to curves
and malformations, needs special attention in
young horses. The hoof of the thoroughbred,
and, indeed, Of any well-cared-for horse, when
trimmed properly, is in straight lines. equally
balanced and well proportional. For this rea-
son horses that are pastured on high and dry
lands have more uniform feet
The rule that applies to the horses Of the
same formation Of feet applies to thorough
breds as we'll as others. 1t should ALWAYS be
Kept IN view, In the training of young horse,
that great deal really depends upon feet as
well as pedigree. The soundncss of the animal
ID very largely due to the management of his
feet. for even with well-formed feet he may go
lame unless properly cared for. young colt
should have shoes az soon rs he is required to
travel over hard roads, His feet must be pro-
tected, for horses foot shod can better be
preserved than bare. At one year there is
enough hoof to keep it properly in place and to
the proper size.
Yet even with all the care that is usually be-
slowed on young horses, l have seen many
cases OF foot distortion, OF two brothers Of the
same breed. one viii have q rigid hoof and that
OF the other will be arched. Then again there
VIII be differences in the feet of the horse;
indeed all are more or less peculiar that way
This IS natural enough, for the feet grow like
four different trees, some of them straight. 9th
ers seemingly curved naturally. In a forma-
ton OF this description the treatment is to
make them grow alike and this can only be
done by trimming the hoof scientifically, so as
to restore the balance OF the foot and relieve
the part on which an unusual strain has been
imposed.
HOW HORSES SHOULD BE sHoD.
rangy horse, if he be tidy in his gait,
should be shod like another horse Of the same
gait When too long in his GAIT he sbould ba
shod as lightly as possible In this way. in the
matter OF shoeng, the gait and other pecul-
larltles OF the animal should be studied and
everything done to secure his perfect freedom
and comfort. When we come to shoe a horse
for speed at trotting there is no absolute rule
as to the weight of the shoes. which must be
adapted to the horses requirements On the
other hand, when horse is to be shod to work
at a slow gait his shoes should be of uniform
weight for such purpose. but it sometimes hap
pens that horse intended for racing has to be
shod differently on each foot according to the
condition of those members In other words.
the weight and form of the shoes must be de-
by circumstances and by the condi-
ton OF the horse, and particularly of his legs
and feet.
1t is not too much to say that horse whose
feet are imperfect from any Of the causes lust
named need never be expected to make a con-
slstently notable record. The lasting quality Is
often impaired by the condition OF the feet and
only those horses that have been either natur-
ally endowed with perfect feet, kept in that
CONDITION by AN intelligent care, or those whose
imperfections have been remedied by the ap-
piication OF scientific principles to the treat
ment OF the hoof, have succeeded In achieving
great things. 1t is through the mastery of the
science OF the foot that Mr.. Bonner has caused
many OF his famous horses to improve. The
day Is coming when this science will be pener-
ally recognized among horsemen everywhere.
DAVID ROBERgE