The Red Cloud chief., 1900-06-08
Chicago Horses BADLY shos.

F Wv.
Recent tnvestigataion by horse DEAL
ers has shown that 80 per cent Of the
draft horses In Chicago are shod In
adequately, and the assertion Ia made
by veterinarians that as n consequence
great suffering Is inflicted on tho ami
mails. As n result tho attention OF the
humane society has been called to the
condition, with the recommendation
that the horses OF factories. depart
ment stores and other concerns be In
spected with a view OF instltuting pro-
ceedings for cruelty to animals, II IL
proposed also to urge municipal leg
i~slation providing for examination into
the qualifications OF horse shoers bo-
fore they are permitted to work.
John q. Shortall, president OF the HUI
"a society, says that the society
now constantly pr%osecutes owners OF
poorly shod horses and that plans arc
under way for a general thorough In
spection OF the hoofs of animals ro-
CURED to do heavy work.
The fault most complained OF Is Ii
failure OF horse owners to maintain
calks on the shoes OF their horses.
These calks are steel projections at tho
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, n veterinarian aud
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 sur
flciently to warrant prosecution Of
their owners. or 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
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 calkod Is inhumane." said
Mr.. Locke. "On stone streets 1t 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.
IL have made a thorough invcstiga-
ton Of nearly all the stables in Chi
cago, and | find that owners OF large
stocks OF horses have arbitrary rules
that their horses shall not be shod
more than once n month. II takes a
week for n hard worked horse to wear
the calks of Its shoes"
MANY HORSE sHoERs INCoMPE-
TENT.
The Increase Of .ue horse shoeing
business. 1t 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 ar ordinance requiring
shoers to take an examination before
they are given a license to practice.
Murray Howe says that there Is Ian
ger In shoeing a horse too frequently.
IF a horse Is shod more than once q
month" he said, 1.-The nails destroy tina
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 %
screwed on when 1t has worn away.
A good substitute for calks Is q rubber
device, which acts as q cushion and y