The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-06-26
HILLY AND ROCKY PASTURES PREFER.
ABLE FOR pORSES.

Many persons have an idea that the
moist meadow lands, entirely free from
rocks, afford the hest pastures for
horses, from the fact that such condi-
tions are favorable to the rapid growth
of the hoofs. 1t is true the feed is gen
orally more luxuriant in the rich bot
tom lands, but while animals tatten
quite readily on it, they are much soft
er and have far less endurance than
those raised on the higher ground.
As regards the feet-and a horses
foot is really of very great Importance
the place where they are raised has
very much to do with it. There is so
much in inheritance that possibly ex-
ccllent feet might be retained for a sim
gle generation where the conditions
were really very unfavorahle, but there
cannot he many successive generations
without very noticeable effect. Where
the wear is the greatest nature is stim-
ulated to furnish the hardest and best
material to withstand it.
The Morgan horses, that We're for
merly raised on the mountain pastures
of New Hampshire and Vermont, al
most always had excellent feet when
they were put to service on the road,
feet that in most instances stood them
for Il lifetime, even though shod by 4
most hungling and least scientific of
| blacksmiths. In the desert lands in
the east there is something about the
sharp sands that wears out the feet
very rapidly, so rapidly. in lact, that
no horses, however sound and good
their feet naturally may he, could with
stand much usage unless their feet
We're properly protected.
1t was undoubtedly in these regions
that horseshoes were first invented,
and it can readily be seen that the old
adage. Necessity is the mother of in
vention," was here brought about very
naturally. In Nenophon's account of
| the notable march of the ten thousand,
and in numerous other descriptions OF
the other marches Of calvary, are ac-
counts of the horses being frequently
rested for weeks, in order that their
feet might grow sufficiently so that the
march could he continued
All who have ever seen IN Arabian
horseshoe, which is a solid plate of steel
that covers the whole sole of the foot
| have often wondered that the Arabs
who are said to he such generally eN.
celIent horsemen. should make use OF
such device. Still, from those who
have travcrsed the deserts where such
shoes are used. we have learned that
| the best of horse shoes wear out very
rapidly, and that as soon us the shoe
is gone the foot wears away to such an
extent that the horse soon becomes toe
footsore to he used On some of ON
trotting tracks. where the clay or loan
is mixed with only a comparatively
small portion of sand. of somewhat the
| Il,
rapidly.
Observin" trainers, who have had
experience on many different tracks,
have noticed that ut Mystic the same
weight of the shoe wears only about
| half aS long rs on many other tracks,
| the small amount of sand which the
soil of that track contains actually
cuttin" and wearing the shoe away
with unusual rapidity. From that
we can get some idea of the rapidity
with which shoes would he worn out
in crossing those eastern deserts and
| that after the shoe is gone the feet
would also he very rapidly worn away.
1t is very notable, however, that horses
raised in those regions. rs rule, have
most excellent feet.
On the other hand, on the low land
of Holland and other sections where
the conditions are similar, the damp
ness causes the feet to grow rapidly,
| and though the hool is soft it is not
worn away nearly as fast at it grows,
and consequently has to he pared con
| tinually. On many of the most fertile
stock farms in our own country the
feet of the colts and brood mares have
to he very frequently pared to keep
them from hccomin" grown out ahnor-
mally.
Bv constantly cutting and raspmg
away "A fairly good foot is kept, but it
is not likely to he quite us good as the
one crown where the frequent touch of
the rocks and lodges wears it away
sufficiently to offset the natural growth.
This is. to some extent. naturally reg
ulated. as to the colt or horse. on be-
coming tootsorc. either avoids stepping
on the rocks or touches them so light
lv and daintily rs to wear rs little as
possible, where otherwise he would
strike as heavily Oh the rocks as on the