The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-03-23

}|T[E\Ma ::::. EN- 5;;:.;:' :' +; $:;:; :; 3: j:
e0uuOisseur in horse flesh, contains
much that will no doubt interest many
of our readers. The article is toe
lengthy for our columns but his views
on the horses foot are we'll worth read
ing and we make the following ex.
tract:
Is is true, Mr.. Bonner, that the
horse is more delicate in constitution
than man ?"
"Pll tell you what is true. Man
knows mighty little about the horse,
and there's where the trouble lies.
Veterinary surgery is improving as the
age improves, but the ignorance about
the horse is still colossal, as I've found
out. Hence I've devoted myself TO
the study of the horses foot, agreeing
with the poet that
One science only can one genius fit,
SO vast is art, SO narrow human wit.
"No foot, no horse is an old say
ing, is it not ?"
"Yes, and it is the title of the best
essays on the anatomy of the horses
foot. 1t was published in London in
1852. For years I've given much of
my leisure to the reading of horse lit
erature taking the books to bed with
me. The more I've read and thought
the more I've respected that old book
and the less I've respected the opinions
of alleged veterinarians. A horse never
lies. If you understand his language
he'll let you know what ails him.
"Senator Stanford says that you
ought to write treatise on the horse"
81 may one of these days. I've
been making notes ever since 1875,
but l don't know enough. Here's
letter from Charles Marvin, the great
trainer now in Terre Haute, to whom
I've sent Sunol. 1t was he who
trained Senator Stanford's Arion, the
fastest tsotting two-year- old, bought
by ]. M. Forbes for $4,000. Well,
it is a compliment to have Marvin
write: l wish l could be with you
often so could be benefited by your
vast knowledge of the subject of bal
ancing the foot properly. The little
caught from you while here only makes
me hungry to learn more. ,"
elf Charles Marvin can learn from
you, think what you can teach the rest
of US. 1t has always seemed to me
that the horse was the victim of both
the ignorance and cruelty of man,
especially as to the treatment of his
feet. No building can stand long
without good foundation. What is
the foot but foundation ?'
"The horses foot grows like our
nails. 1t is materially the same sub
stance. That horny box requires in
telligent care, yet the most ignorant
mechanics on the top of Gods earth
are the ordinary biacksmiths. I've
had veterinary surgeon since 1858,
but | never let him prescribe for my
horses feet. A surgeon once told me
that nothing could stop Maud SIS
lameness. knew better. The trouble
was in her feet. A friend came to me
in despair because an expert said his
favorite horse was incurably lame and
should be sold. On examining that
horse found the foot was all right"
"Is it fact that Sunol was lame
when you bought her?''
"Yes. | knew it, but Senator Stan
ford didn't. l told his superintendent
and trainer, who were afraid to inform
the Senator of what, however, gave me
no concern, as | knew that the trouble
lay in the shoeing. Now just listen to
this from that old book I've men
toned"
"Who's the author ?"
"W. Osmer, regular surgeon who
had found out things for himself, be-
lieving with the Scotch proverb, The
fox never found better substitute
than himself
Wherefore, know all men by these
presents, that whosoever talks OF ofhorses
being chest foundered or shook in the
shoulders, is an ignorant pretender to
the knowledge of this animal, and is
himself shaken in the head.
"What do you call chest founder,
interfering and overreaching?'
"Too much toe. An unbalanced
foot makes an uneven gait and ac
counts for most of the trouble with
horses. Again, take the coffin bone,
the lower pastern and the lower pas
tern bones, placing them in position
on table in front of you, and you
will find that by elevating the heels or
wings of the coffin bone you necessa-
rily depress or lower the ankle. The
effect of elevating the heels has never
been understood, SO far as l know.
Keep the column of bones in its
proper position and navicular disease
has no terrors for me-"
"Does nobody know anything about
the horse?'
"There are exceptions, of course
There's Alexander Dunbar, of Wash
ington, who was paid S25 900 to teach
| our army veterinary surgeons how tC