The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-12-05
n COLTS FEET.

When the colt Is taken in from the pas
ture its hoofs are usually long, and ex-
tending down below the sole tor a more
or less considerable distance SO that when
1t is put upon the hard floor or allowed
to exercise upon the frozen ground, the
hoofs breaks Off irregularly OF where II
does not break off 1t is very likely to
wear uneven n then the weight of the
body upon the legs has a tendency to put
them out OF the proper alignment thereby
throwing too much strain upon some parts
while other parts do not have to sustain
their proper amount of weight.
And this unequal distribution of weight
has a tendency to produce an excessive
development of the parts that bear the
heavy portion while the other parts do
not fully develop, and as the colt grows
to maturity this disproportionate develop
ment of the foot and leg is very likely TO
continue with the result that when ma
turity Is reached or before, these parts
are in such a preserved condition that they
soon give out under the strain work and
the animal goes anne with what is very
often an incurable trouble. Much of this
could be obyiated II a little attention was
given to the foot, especially when the ami
NAL Is taken from the soft cushion like
ground of the pasture and placed in the
hard floor Of the stable or frozen ground.
1t Is not difficult to level up a colts
feet. All the tools that are needed is a
pair of hoof cutting pinchers and a hoof
rasp. The long parts of the hoofs can be
removed with the pinchers, and after
these are removed the wall can be leveled
and smoothened with the rasp. 1t should
not take over five or ten minute to prop
erly treat oil four feet Of q small colt.
And IL 1t Is done at the proper time,
SPAWN and ringbone and such diseases
will not be SO prevalent.
Again the free high stepping gait of a
colt is often materially interferred with be-
cause Of the improper developments OF the
foot and leg. 2
This may appear like a little thing and
oil theory to many farmers, but when you
take into consideration the number of
steps that an animal takes in travelling q
mile, and figure the length of time it re-
quires to take a step, or to put it another
a figure the number of steps an animal
takes per minute in travelling four or five
miles an hour, one can readily see that q
very slight impercept.ble hitch at each
step, would soon amount to considerable
and then TAX into consideration the fact
that the animal not only has to carry it's
own weight besides such a load as may
be behind and also this defect due to
faulty development, II should be evident
to all that a small defect will In reality
amount to much at the close of the day.
And this day after day will sooner OF later
tell upon the vitality of the parts II not
upon the general system of the animal.
All are familiar with the old adage, mo
foot no horse" But few people X to
drive a lame horse consequently any
lameness especially one that is likely to
remain permanent, very materially re-
duces the value of the animal.
Ordinarily the sole and frog of the foot
of a colt should not he interferred with
~ mara than 20 narauSaHy 70 IarroI as, Aha
foot. But whenever the wall breaks off
unevenly or one side Of the foot grows
longer than the opposite the foot should
be leveled up.