The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-04-27
AGRICULTURAL.


the Importance of proper care OF the
colts feet, or understand what proper
care is. The wild horse, or the ranch
raised horse of the west, that roams at
will and is continually on the ground,
in the wet grass, melting snow, etc.,
has no trouble with its feet, and I'M
soundness in such horses is seldom
known; for the conditions are natural
for the feet as well as the horse, and,
while the coronet is constantly wet and
kept healthy, the hoof is also kept in
growing condition, soft and springy,
and wears away at the bottom until the
frog is left to take it's share of the
weight, keep the heels properly spread
and allow the different parts of the foot
to spring and yield in carrying the
horse as it comes in contact with the
ground or hard substances. But in our
Vermont climate, with six or seven
months of the year spent in the barn,
in artificial and unnatural modes of liv-
ing, the case is in many ways different.
Dry hay is substituted for the green
grass, and the bowels may become more
or less constipated and retard the nat
ural growth of the feet as well as of the
body, muscles and limbs.
The colt may stand on a dry plank
floor or run in a pen all winter on its
own excrement, which may heat and
steam and nearly cook out the frogs
with thrush and dry the heofs to the
hardness and appearance of horn. In
either case the coronet (the place where
the skin and hoof unite) may 60 weeks,
and even months, without so much
moisture as it would receive in an hours
time feeding in a grassy pasture, on one
dewy morning. What changed But
this is not all. Under these unnatural
conditions of confinement and very
limited exercise the foot does not
spread and spring and develop as in
the pasture, and little or none of the
growth of hoof is worn away that is be-
ing constantly supplied to replace that
worn off in the natural state; but the
farther from the coronet the extremi-
ties of the hoof grow, the harder and
dryer they become, and may ''fever
up" contract and become go dead as to
nearly or quite stop all natural growth;
or may be 80 abnormal in some parts
as to cause painful and very injurious
strains upon the tendons and joints,
and in many cases carse ringbones or
other unsoundness that is easier to pre-
vent than to cure. Hence, from the
time the colt is weaned, watch his feet
and level them with blacksmith's rasp
as often as they grow too high in any
part, or enough out of level to be de-
tected by the eye.
AS we are now talking with common
breeders and our farmer friends, in
stead of blacksmiths and professional
horsemen, perhaps few words regard
ing our way of teaching the colts to al
low their feet handled, and to be gen.
tie and kind to shoe, may not be out of
place. All these things will be much
easier and better accomplished if the
colt is brought up tame, gentle, kind
and confding, as we think he invaria-
bly, should be. We would have the
colt well taught in his early babyhood
to have all his feet taken up and ham
died as if being shod; but at any age
of the colt the same general principles
of teaching these things will apply.
We like first to take common cur
rying card and brush and gently groom
the colt on all parts, from his ears to
his hoofs; and when he understands
that this is pleasant for him we still
groom him, and at the same time be-
gin handling his feet, thoroughly teach
ing him to allow his forward feet to be
handled first To handle forward feet,
do not hitch the colt, but put on halter
or bride and take position facing the
colt and directly in front Of him; then
beginning with the right forward foot,
place the right hand on the colts
breast, about where the breastplate
would come, and, gently patting him
all the while with the same hand, work
it down on inside of the right leg to
the back side, just above the bend of
knee joint; and right at this place lay
your hand on back side of leg with fin
gers outward (and thumb upward but
not using thumb to grasp the leg);
place your right shoulder against the
colts right shoulder and breast, and at |
the same time steadily and gently lift |
the leg forward and upward. Gently |
lift upward and toward the colt with |
your shoulder, also, and steady him to |
his equilibrium, which must be changed |
toward the other leg when weight 10
thrown upon it. Do not at first try to |
take hold of the foot and hold it, but |
simply raise the knee up in front 30
that the arm of colt is nearly as high as |