The morning call., 1893-10-22

sustaining injury. Their growth is linn
tied. When that growth is reached the eX-
ternal layers flake off, leaving new sur
face. The growth of the wall IS unlim-
tied. 1t grows down beyond the
surface of frog and sole, just as
our nails grow beyond the tips of
fingers and toes. In his natural state
the horse travels principally over plains
and turf. and this sort of ground keeps the
walls of his h0ofs worn about level with
the soles. On the road. however. the wear
is greater. The walls are ground down
until the effect is the same as though our
nails were cut or worn down to the quick.
Every step produces pain, and If driven in
this condition the horse goes lame. What
we have to do is to protect this wall, while
at the same time we do nothing to inter-
fere with the frog and sole, or to impede
the action Of leg and foot. 1t is evident,
therefore, that what is needed is a rim
around the wall, hard enough to withstand
wear and as light as is consistent with
durability. This rim is the horseshoe.
AS | have said, the growth of the wall of
the hoOf is unlimited. ItcOntiuues to grow
after the shoe is nailed on, and il is this fac t
that makes necessary the reshoeing Of our
horses even before the shoes are worn out.
When the animal goes to the smith the
first thing to be done is 10 pull off the old
shoe. and l have seen blacksmith do it so
in the ho0f. The man who does this
should be avoided like the plague.
would quicker trust him to mend a watch
than to meddle with horses foot. He is
the sort of chap upon whom you may de-
pend TO gouge out the sole of the foot,
pare down the frog. put on shoes that are
too small, and fit the foot TO them, use too
large nails, too heavy shoes and file the
foot down all around to make it look neat.
These are the customary blunders of the
blacksmith. You may always look for
them, and will nearly always find them,
out there are others quite as bad that you
are very likely TO encounter II you make
any pretense for caring for your horse 8
feet. And of course if you are horse
owner you do this.
The shoe carefully pulled off. the clinches
first being released and the iron pulled
steadily with the Dippers. not yanked with
lateral jerk that releases one side, then
given twist that makes hole in the wall
and perhaps leaves a broken bit of nail be-
hind, the next thing to do is to rasp off the
superfuous growth of wall. And under
stand this distinctly. No matter what
your smith tells you, the rasp should never
touch any but the plantar surface of the
wall. He will be likely 10 apply it to the
front of the wall, and the effect is exactly
what it would be il you filed the upper sur
face of your own finger nails. The wall is
same deviati0ns from line that your nails
would be under the same treatment. Just
how much of the wall should be removed,
is what the skill and judgment OF the far
rier should tell him. If not enough is
rasped off, 100 much strain will come
on the wall. and the horse will not
travel to advantage. If too much, a
the tread and enable the foot to carry its
weight proDerIy. 1t is fair rule that the
wall should be rasped down until an
ordinary hoof, placed on the ground, bears
evenly all around, and presents an angle
of about 80 to 80 degrees. The angle can
easily be measured by the experienced eye.
A distinguished authority on this subject,
| and principal veterinary of the British
army, has an EN- mphatic word to say that I
will quote right here: "Ths sole or frog
should not be touched-not even the loose
fakes removed. and all the work ought to
he accomplished by means of the rasp.
PAIRING out and hacking at these parts
with the drawiug-knife should be abso-
utely condemned as destructive to the
oot."
Yet in all my experience | have never
seen smith who, unless 1 prevented him,
would not cut the sole out nearly to the
quick, and there are very few OF the guild
who can keep the knife away from the
frog. They seem to itch and burn to haggle
at ii.
Great care should be taken that the wall
of the foot should be trimmed even on
both sides. There is danger of one side
being higher than the other-usually the
inner side is left in this shape. and this,
| throwing the foot out of plumb, is apt TO
cause strain and ultimately disease of the
joints.
The horse whose feet are thus faulty
| balanced usually ''hitches" in trotting fast
and presents other deyiations from a
smooth, pleasant, easy gait. Sometimes this
, IS so marked as even TO make him appear
lame. ] have known driver to insist that
his horse was troubled with corns, and
aven to order bar shoes, and pack the feet
night after night when the animal was
merely not balanced rightly. A common
mis- stake of the farrier is 70 leave the toes
too long. As one of them explained to me-
once: 1T gives the animal leverage in
trotting and lengthens his stride" Advo-
Gates of this idea would do well to cOnsidex
whether to lengthen the human foot would
result In aiding US to run or walk any