The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1895-04-06
WHAT = HORSES FOOT is.
Its Marvellous Anatomy and How 1t Should
BE Treated.

Its Marvellous Anatomy and How 1t Should
BE Treated.
In a lecture on the horse's foot, Pro-
fessor Duncan MacEachran of McGill
university, Canada, proceeded to de-
scribe briefly and to illustrate by Sec
lions and diagrams the wonderful struc-
ture of the foot, first the bone forming
the distal ends of tho four extremities,
artic11lated in such manner and degree
Of o%bliquity as to minimize conclusion,
X the wonderful arrangement of the
soft tissues covering the bones over
run and intersected by networks of
blood vessels and nerve fibers, firmly at
tached to the bone, yet SO disposed as to,
not only secrete the horn, but to keep
secreting it while the animal lived, to
carry on these functions even while ex.
posed to compression and conclusion
from the enormous loads which it had
to bear from the weight of the animal,
his burden and the momentum of his
movements, yet SO perfect was the ar
rangement that seldom indeed did we
find that wen a blood vessel was rup-
tured or a tissue bruised, so long as it
was left in a natural condition. He next
showed the beautiful dovetailed con-
nection of the hoof tt the sensitive or
soft tissues, a model and diagram being
used to illustrate. The structure of the
wall, sole and frog were explained. He
then spoke of the foot as a whole and
declared it perfect in structure, perfect
in function, and, as proved by the horse
in a state of nature perfect protection
for the sensitive foot within.
"Why mutilate so perfect a struc-
ture? The protection of this horny foot
cover, as the hoof may be called, from
wear and tear, caused by constant use on
the hard roads of civilization, by an iron
rim or shoe is necessary for the full util-
ization of the animals powers and use
fulness. 1t has been truly called "a nee
essary evil, as our own foot covers are,
yet surely the foot can be protected with
out our having to chronicle IS per cent
of the lamenesses, of the fore feet at
least, being due to faulty shoeing. With
the farrier / would plead for the poor
horse, to SEQ to it that he himself and
his workmen are taught something at
least of the anatomy and physiology Of
the horses foot, to think of it as a very
sensitive, highly organized structure and
no thoughtlessly to cut away as useless
that horny sole, SO necessary to protect
the tender sole which it covers. Do not
scorch it by applying, while fitting,
too hot a shoe. In fitting the shoe re-
member that it is to remain on night
and day. 1t is not to be removed at bed
time, as your own. If it twists and dis
forts the foot and parts of the limb above
it, there is no relief from the torment
of cramp and sprain; if it presses hard
OIL a sensitive part, being firmly nailed
OH, the horse must suffer night and day.
In mailing the shoe on be careful that
the nails do not press OF or penetrate
the sensitive parts. The horse cannot
remove it, and the careless groom may
not notice it for days. # you would but
think of the suffering which poor horses
undergo from your carelessness or ig-
norance, you would treat the foot less
as an insensible block Of wood.
""To the owner I would say: If you
can afford to keep a horse, if you re.
quire the services of a horse, deal with
him as you would with any other of
your assistants. He cannot take care Of
himself; you must hire a man to take
care Of him. Think of him as a noble
animal almost as sensitive as yourself,
having pleasurable feelings and suffer-
ing pain in not much less degree than
yourself or any member Of your family,
and let the thought influence you when
you hire his caretaker. Don't let a few
dollars a month influence you in the
choice between a good and a bad groom.
If you would think of the pain and an.
guish, the sleepless nights and unhappy
days Of many horses, owing to the neg
lect of their feet by ignorant or dissi.
pated grooms, you would give your sta
BILE more personal supervision, and yc.
would see that your groom not Only
knew what was necessary to procure the
comfort Of your horse in the manage
ment of his feet, but that he would at.
tend to and put into practice such
knowledge. Owners sometimes cause
great suffering by p~enuriousness and a
false economy about shooting bills and
stable expenses.
ITO the public I would say you can
do much to protect the foot of the horse
and save him from suffering. Are you a
merchant? See to it that your men think
of the poor horses which deliver and re-
move your goods, when breaking up
packing boxes, sweeping out nails into
lanes and back streets. When I tell you
that a large number of valuable horses
are lost annually, particularly those
horses handling railway goods. owing