Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-09-20

2. Excess of hoof at heel causing deformity.
.. Excess of hoOf at tcS causing deformity.
OF runner, and it is the same, too, with
trotting gait; when the gift of speed
is present and training is well done and
the feet properly attended to, we can
commence quite early.
l believe the time is coming when
tho foot will be So thoroughly under
stood that we will have only one lame
horse where to-day we have ten. Mr..
Bonner's success in improving the mag
nificent speed of his animals is due to
the fact that he has been among the
first to appreciate the value of knowl-
edge of the foot. [ never knew an
other man who had made so exhaustive
a study of the subject. Commodore
Vanderbilt's Mountain Boy was shod by
my method twenty-three years ago.
The Commodore had good, common,
horSe-sense understanding about the
animal; but he had no science of the
feet l succeeded in improving Noun
tain Boys speed, and his owner was sat
isfied. The difference between Mr..
Bonner and many lovers of horses is
precisely that which distinguishes the
man who acquires his knowledge by
persistent personal investigation and
the one who buys it ready made don't
think the younger generation of Van
derbilts take as keen an interest in
horse-fesh as did the old Commodore.
recall with a good deal of interest
my acquaintance with General Grant,
and how it began about horses. 1t was
about twenty-five years ago that he
made an appointment with me at Wash
ington. We met there three times al
together, and the General proved him
self not only lover of the horse, but
to have pretty good understanding of
the subject. He brought out saddle
bay-One of his army chargers-to be
shod and treated for a habit of crossing
his hind legs while in action, and also
when standing. This was quickly re-
dressed, to the great delight of the Gem
eral, who, although he owned horses all
his life, had never supposed that the
formation of the feet was the cause Of
standing il this manner.
When Governor Leland Stanford, of
California, was in New York, several
years ago, his famous horse Occident
was brought to me to be shod. Occi-
dents feet were almost perfect. Even
some of our grandest horses have had
imperfectionsi in their feet at times, and
1t has only been by the prompt remedy
ing of these that their triumphs have
been made possible.
IT l were asked to furnish a practical
hint to those who own good horses as to
the best method of caring for their feet
would say: Trim them early, lust as
you would trim young tree to make IL
grow right. Cultivate the hoof if you
want it to be perfect Shoe them when
they are from six months to year old,
once month if you work them. with
the assurance that you can get the
foot in better shape when it rests on a
metal plate as base and support than
without it. Some have said that the
feet OF very few horses are perfect, and
my experience goes to show that a
a great number of those | encounter are
so. Feet like those of Dexter and Sunol
are rare exceptions; but there is little
reason why horse should suffer with
his feet, If his owner knows how to take
care OF them, and does it. There are
many differences in horses in this re
spect The weak, spongy hoof that af-
tilcts some that are pastured on low
ground, giving rise to curves and mall
formations, needs special attention in
young horses. The hoof of the thor
oughbred, and, indeed, of any we'll
cared-for horse, when trimmed properly,
Is IN straight lines, equally balanced
and well-proportioned For this reason
horses that are pastured on high and
dry lands have more uniform feet.
Tbs rule that applies TO the horses