The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-08-05

While we do not believe in keeping
farm horses shod except under certain
necessary conditions, and own two
horses, one of which has never been
shod and the other only once for a
dozen years, yet for those who do shoe
horses we reproduce the following from
the Country Gentleman. 1t is the sum-
mary of pamphlet issued in England:
FIRST PREPARATIONS.
before removing the old shoe,
each clench should be carefully and
fully raised.
2-The crust or wall is not to be
rasped.
3-The sole is not to be pared out.
1.-The frog, if healthy, is not to be
pared, or even trimmed.
5-The bars are not to be cut away.
6-The seat of corn is not to be pared
out.
THE crust or wall is to be lowered
as much as may represent what would
be worn away if the foot We're not
shod. Remember that there is a greater
growth of horn at the toe than in other
parts of the foot. Therefore more
will require to be taken off at the toe
than elsewhere. Therefore shorten the
toe. Especial care must also be taken
that the feet are made the same length.
RAsPING THE SURFACE LEVEL.
S-When the crust has been lowered
all round, then make the ground sur
face quite level all round, with the
rasp.
9-To ascertain whether the surface
is level, the shoe may be applied sufli-
GENTLY warm to mark any inequalities,
but not hotter than is necessary for this
purpose.
10-When the surface has been made
level, take off the sharp edge of the
crust with rasp-in other words,
blunt it. This is necessary to prevent
its splitting.
11-All shoes should be flat TO the
sole, not seated out. For riding and
light draft horses, make shoe to fit
the foot, neither longer nor smaller,
nor larger than the crust, except at the
heels, where it may be not more than
one-eighth inch wider than the crust.
For heavy draft horses in towns where
the streets are paved, it is found neces-
sary to make the shoes wider and
longer at the heels than the crust. I'm
less this assistance is given, the horse
cannot get firm hold, and therefore
he will be liable to slip and roll, and
soon become lame. For heavy draft
horses employed on farms, etc., it is
necessary to shoe at the heels accord
ing to the nature of the ground and the
work to be done. On deep plowed
lands it is found advantageous to make
the shoes longer and wider at the heels,
in order to pre- vent the feet from sink
ing deep into the ground.
DUMPING"
12-It is the common practice of i'll
competent and careless shoers to put
on shoe smaller than the crust, and
then in order to make an apparent fit,
hurtfu practice produces two evils
First, the outer and strongest horn
fbers are destroyed, and second, the
giu6y superficial layer which covers the
outside OF the crust is destroyed, and
then the natural moisture Of the horn,
which is essential to toughness, escapes,
and the horn itself becomes brittle and
unsound. This and dumping " are
the very greatest causes of brittle and
broken feet,
13-The width of the shoe should
vary according to the breed of the
horse. For light horses, 8.inch is suffi-
cient, if the shoe really fits and the
crust is sound. One inch is the width
in common use. For heavy horses the
width must be increased to J or two
inches. Flat feet require wider shoes,
i. e., more cover than natural and up
right feet.
WEIGHT OF SHOES
14-For light horses, IA to 16 ounces
will, in general, be sufficient But
some horses wear their shoes more than
others; and, again, the material used
on the roads makes difference, often
a great difference, and much will also
depend on the amount of work. For
heavy horses, II to p pounds, or even
more, is common.
15-Durdtion Of Sh0eS.-One month
is fair average time, but the amount
of work, and materials used on the
roads, affect the wear.
10 - RemOUdL OF Shoes. - whether
shoes are worn out or not worn out,
they should be removed at the end of a
month and refitted. The growth of the
horn renders this necessary.
T-Countersunk shoes are better
than fullered, as they are stronger, and
the nails get a better hold.
18 - Countersunk nails should be
used. They get better hold than
rose-headed nails. Nai-heads should
not project below the shoe, as friction
with the ground will soon wear off the
heads, and then the nails lose their
holding power.
MAILING.
19-For nag and carriage horses,
with fairly good feet, the naila should
be brought out about one inch on the
crust If the feet are all fiat, they
should be brought out somewhat lower
For cart horses, whose feet are larger
aud generally natter than in better bred
horses, one inch would be u fair aver
age height. But regard must be had
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