The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1900-06-09
chicago Horses Badly shoa.

Chicago Horses Badly Shod.
Recent investigation by horse deal
ers has shown that go per cent of the
draft horses in Chicago are shod in
adequately, and the assertion Is made
by veterinarians that as a consequence
great suffering is inflicted ON the ami
mails. AS a result the attention Of the
humane society has been called to tho
condition, with the recommendation
that the horses of factories, depart
ment stores and other concerns be in
spected with a view of instituting pro-
ceedings for cruelty to animals. 1t is
proposed also to urge municipal leg
islation providing for examination into
the qualifications of horse shoers be-
fore they are permitted to work.
John G. Shortall, president of the HUI
name society, says that the society
now constantly prosecut.s owners of
poorly shod horses and that plans arc
'under way for a general thorough in
spection of the hoofs of animals re-
quired to do heavy work.
The fault most complained Of is the
failure of horse owners to maintain
calks on the shoes of their horses.
These calks are steel projections at the
toes" and heels" of the shoes pro-
vided to keep the horses from slip
ping. The attention of the Humane
society was called to the matter by
Almon A. Locke, a veterinarian and
horse dealer. Out of 100 draft horses
selected at random and examined by
him, he said, 80 were shod improperly,
and in consequence were suffering SUI
ficiently to warrant prosecution Of
their owners OF the ninety, forty
three were provided with shoes that
were not calked properly, fifteen were
Unbalanced" or wearing shoes of ir-
regular weight and application, and
t~twenty-one were suffering from bad
workmanship of smiths.
"The failure of horse owners to see
that the shoes of their horses always
are properly calked is inhumane," said
Mr.. Locke. ION stone streets it Is
absolutely necessary that the shoes Of
horses be provided with calks on both
the toes and heels. Without calks
much of the strength of the animal Is
wasted. The horse will fight hard
against falling down, but with slippery
shoes and under a strain there Is no
protection against it. Fear Of punish
ment excites the animal. and in slip
ping and pulling much Of its energy is
lost.
II have made a thorough investiga-
ton of nearly all the stables in Chi
cago, and I find that owners of large
stocks of horses have arbitrary rules
that their horses shall not be shod
more than once a month. It takes a
week for a hard-worked horse. to wear
the calks off its shoes"
MANY HORSE sHoERs INCoMPE-
TENT.
The increase of .Ae horse shoeinA
business, it has said, has brought many
men into the trade who are not famil-
lar with the anatomy of the horses
hoof, and who, in consequence, abuse
the animal. To prevent incompetent
men doing business Mr.. Locke sug-
gested to the officials Of the Humane
society that it urge the passage by the
City Council of an ordinance requiring
shoers to take an examination before
they are given a license to practice. :.
Murray Howe says that there is dan
ger in shoeing a horse too frequently.
IF a horse is shod more than nee q
month";" he said, "the nails destroy ths
horny fiber. The most substantial
calks are those which are forged to the
shoe itself. Yet there are many new
devices whereby the calk can De
screwed on when it has worn away.
A good substitute for calks is a rubber
tevice, which acts as q cushion and a
preventive of slipping" r