Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-06-26
SHOEING THE HORSE.
Pulling the Nails, PAIRING the Hoof and
IeVelling the Shoe.

/ NtiN hblNt Nlluuul ElNluE
ton 10 the state of the hoof, while still
provided with the old shoe Before that is
taken of, particular attention should be
| paid TO the hOof-the length of the toe, the
| depth OF the heels, should be carefully con.
sidered, and the smith should thereby
make up ais mind how much or little to re
move from these parts.
A correct estimate cannot be made from
au examination of the hoof alone; the eve
of the smith should pass over the entire
limb. He should particularly observe the
obliquity of the pasterns. They may be
too straight, and thus require that the toe
Of the hoof be left uncurtailed; or they
may be too Oblique. and thus call for short
ening the toe. In other words, the smith
must aim TO preserve the proper angle
| formed by the pasterns and hoOf at the fet
/ lock Joint
| Not only must attention be given TO the
hOOf while the horse is in Il standing posi-
ton. but the ground surface of the shoe
must also be carefully examined 10 ascer
tain whether or not il is worn evenly al
around.
Having made this preliminary but all
| important examination, the smith now pro
ceeds TO take the shoes off the horse. Fol-
| this purpose in the fore foot, he lifts the
| fore foot from the ground. / have here
made use of the word lift In too many
cases altogether does the smith actually
| lift or forcibly attempt to lift the foot from
I the ground; but violence here is quite un.
necessary, for in almost every case it is
only necessary TO punch the back tendons
more or less forcible, according to the in
| dividual, in order to make him bend the
knee without any trouble. The hOof being
lifted from the ground and grasped between
] the smiths knees, he provides himself with
the hammer and buffer. Applying the
edge of the buffer TO the clinches of the
nails. he proceeds to straighten them 50
that no resistance may be offered by these
when the nails are subsequently extracted
/ He now takes the pincers and introduces
their teeth under the superior surface OF
| the heel of the shoe, first of one and then OF
then Of the other side, and pushing the
pinccrs away from him, thus forms u
powerful lever which easily separates
/ the shoe from the hoof This
separation should only go far enough to de
tach the nails, so as TO allow them to be
separately seized by the pincers and thus
removed; when shoes and nails are torn of
/ together, as is often done, it frequently
causes the removal of a part of the wall and
u consequent weakening of the hOOf. In
order to remove the nails it is sometimes
necessary 10 drive them back by applying
the eOinted end of the buffer TO the place
where they were clinched, and driving them
back sufficiently, so that they can be clutch
ed with the pincers. The old nails should
never be thrown carelessly on the ground,
as serious injury TO horses boot
/ is likely TO result from such slovenly
practice.
The shoe removed, the smith proceeds to
remove any supertiuous horn that may have
been produced since the last Shoeing-a
operation which tries the skill of the
smith in the greatest degree, and which is
probably one of the most important points
/ in shOeing
Before proceeding TO describe the man
ual operation of shoeing, it may be of adj
vantage to consider the ends we look for in
the operation. As previously mentioned,
shoeing. until comparatively recent date,
| had but one aim, namely, TO preserve the
hoOf from wear. With the advent of the
veterinary science. however, the opera
tion of shOeing has become of greater eX-
tent. and now the problem may be placed
thus Beng given horse, TO adapt shoes
| to his feet which preserve or re-eStablish
the regularity of the limbs the integrity of
/ form of the hOof, and the freedom OF mo-
ton which may be there produced, while
at the same time protecting the horn from
| from ouse, we will consider each OF these
i'm order.
From the previous physiological consid-
erations it was seen that the opening of the
articular angle of the fetlOck was closely
related to the length, direction and seat OF
the hoof on the ground, since. according 10
/ the dimensions OF the hOOf in length, and
the relative height Of its parts, the phalan-
geal lever tends TO become more or less
ObliQue under the perpendicular ray of the
canon bone. II is then on the seat OF the
hoof on the ground. and on the regularity
OF its proportion, that the harmonic distri-
button of the body weight depends-the
body weight being distributed in the pro
portion upon the bones which transmit il
| TO the ground, and on the tendons which
must suspend it and annul its action by the
plav of their elasticity.
| Now, If in u state of nature the hO0f is
maintained at regular and equal length
\ by the constant wearing during progress
sion. aad consequently, the distribution OF
| the bOdv-weght takes place under normal
conditions, such no longer occurs in state
of dOmesticity, the regular use OF the hooi
necessary to preserve the proper angle
/ formed at the fetlock being prevented by
the interpositiOn Of the iron shoe.
This established, it must be admitted
| that whenever the horse requires shOeing
already the effects of the lengthening OF the
| hoof are felt 10 a certain degree, more OF
| less. according as the shoeing is renewed
ut more or less distant periods. Conse-
ouentlv. the first care of the smith must be
To remedy this increased length by short
ening it with the appropriate instruments
In order that the smith know the proper
amount Of horn to be taken away. 1t IS
necessary that he have in his minds eye
the normal form and normal wear OF the
hoof. All are aware how different is the
form of the fore foot from that of the hind
/ foot: the hOof, also, is worn more at one
part than at another in a normal condition,
and these differences also must be careful
/ ly attended to.
When the foot has been suitably pared
another most important requisite Tor the
preservation of the regularity of the lint
/ is that the shoe to be applied under the
hoof be as level as possible, and that 1t be
exactly modelled on the contour of the plan,
ter border of the wall. with which it should
alone be in contoct, so that no pressure be
applied on the sole. For this purpose the
| seat of the shoe 10 be applied under the
foot should be completely horizontal.
The reason why perfectly level shoe
| is best in the normal foot is that the pres
sure on the wall is thus distributed
/ i'm the most equable manner, so as tc
throw an even pressure all around; by
this means the base attains firm sup
port on placing the foot upon the ground
/ while at the same time the growth OF the
/ foot takes place equally all around the
| foot. While on this subject, ! cannot help
entering a protest against the great abuse
| of calkins and toe pieces which have OBJ
served in Buffalo, \. Y, and other cities
Saddle and light draught horses do not re
ouire them at all; they are of no service
| and invariably spoil the foot after a CERTAIN
time | have been told that on the asphalt
roads. without sucn assistance, the horse
would slip. All | have to say to TINS Is
that during the last six monthe | have
daily driven several horses, one OF them q
two-voar-old, on these streets with perfect
Ilv Nat SHOES. allowing them 10 be well worn
and | do not think have observed single
slip. even on coming down fair incline al
| a GOOD trot. With the toe pieces ana calR'
| ins IL is, believe impossible to preserve
GOOD foot: snd in fact daily observe many
/ feet which are being ruined by their use
/ OF course. during the frost, no requires
| some protection against slipping, but, even
/ in this case. the idaa of giving as eguaole =
| pressure rs possible upon the hooi shoulu
i be borne in mind.-HorSc World.
BRIDGEPORT.
/ The members Of the Presbyterian Churct
will meet next Wednesday TO vote on
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