THE "GOODENOUGH" METHOD OF SHOEING HORSES.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 42, 31 August 1870, Page 5

THE "GOODENOUGH" METHOD OF SHOEING HORSES.

[The following description of the above-named useful invention- which ia extracted from the London Tiiuex —will bo read with peculiar interest by everyone interested In the subject, the more so on account of an announcement appearin" in our advertising columns from a tradesman (Mr William Barnes) who has had practical experience in the application of the now principle in England, and who is now in a position to give the public practical evidence of its value :—] In 1800, Mr Goodenough, an American gentleman (well known in England by his association with Mr Rarey), invented and patented a horseshoe which is said to have succeeded in securing all necessary protection to the hoof of the horse, and in removing, or reducing to a minimum, the bad effects of earlier methods of horse-shoeing. The principle laid down by Mr Goodenough is that the shoe should resemble, and preserve as far as possible, the natural shape of the hoof of which it ia a continuation. The unshod horse has the under surface of his foot oh a* general level plane, the frog and the whole margin of the hoof in contact with the ground, and the surface of the sole, between the frog and margin, somewhat raised by its own concavity. The Goodenough shoe is made precisely to follow the outline of the hoof for which it is intended, and to reach exactly to the bars, never projecting at all beyond the heel. Its upper surface is perfectly plane and true ; its under surface ia generally concave from the outer to the inner margin, the outer margin having, however, a narrow flat bearing upon the ground, and this bearing is interrupted by portions of the margin being cut away, so as to leave a central toe calk, and two smaller calks on either side. The elevation of these calks is inconsiderable, and their general level is the same, so that they may be compared to a seriesjof short claves on the under surface of the shoe. In the notches, or spaces between the calks, the nail-heles are bored and counter-sunk, so that the nail-heads are completely buried in the shoe. For frost, shoes are made in which the calks have no flat beoring, but are brought up to a feather edge, The inner margin of the shoe is thin, so that its outline passes insensibly into that of the sole, and presents no projections by which stones or snow can be retained. The method of preparing the foot and of applying the shoe is as follows. In the first place, a shoe which precisely fits the cutline of the hoof is selected from the stock. If a proper fit cannot be found, any slight alteration is made by a few blows on the cold iron, or, if heating bo necessary, the shoe is made cold again before it is applied, and care is taken that it remains perfectly level and true. The farrier then prepares the hoof by cutting or rasping away the surface of that portion of the crust on which the iron will rest, leaving the centre of the sole and the frog and bars untouched. Having given what he judges to be a true level to this marginal seating for the shoe, the shoe is applied cold, and the hoof is rasped again and again, until horn and iron come into perfect contact in every part. As a guide to the use of the rasp, the surface of the shoe is ruddled, so Mat any portions of the horn not touched by it, vSBI remain uncoloured. The adjustment being correct, the shoe is nailed on in the ordinary way, and the process is complete. When the shoes are put on for the first time, it will often happen that the frog, dwarfed and deformed by previous ill-treatment, does not reach the ground at once, and for soma hours, or even for a day or two, the horse may experience the same kind of inconvenience that would be felt by a man who was taken out of very highheeled boots, to which he was accustomed, and made to walk on level soles. But a very short time restores the muscles of the leg to their natural equilibrium, and relieves the latter discomfort, while, after a few shoeings, the frog gets to the ground fairly and fully, forming an elastic wedge which gives the horse a conscious and safe foothold upon every surfaoe. The sole also grows somewhat within the circle of the shoe, and forms a shoulder by which the firmness and security of the latter are greatly increased, so that fewer and smaller nails are required. At first, too, it is necessary to have a considerable thickness of iron, in order to supply the place of the horn usually removed by the excessive cutting of the ordinary farrier ; but when the hoof has grown to its natural proportions, smaller and lighter shoes will be sufficient. Mr Goodenough claims tor his system the negative merit that the shoo, being applied cold, docs not injure and weaken the horn by burning, as in the common method. He claims the positive merits that “ it prevents slipping, overreaching, and interfering, catting, or picking up stones, balling snow or mud, contracted feet, corns, sand-cracks, thrush, springing of the knees, shrinking of the shoulders. It also prevents the nails striking the ground while the foot is sensitive from shoeing. A horse will draw with it a greater weight, and travel farther.” From careful examination of the method and of the results of its employment, we are o: opinion that these, claims are scarcely, if at all, overstated, and that Mr Goodenough will confer the greatest benefits alike upon horses and upon those who own or use them. Another advantage of the system is one that will be greatly felt in the hunting field. The hoof, having its natural form and surface preserved, draws out of clay or mud without the suerion by which so many ordinary shoes are loosened, and so much extra labour is entailed upon the horse. It has been calculated that this suction may bo nearly Ilh per lift to each foot, in addition to the weight of the shoo ; and its total amount at the end of a day's work would bo such as to seem scarcely credible. The Lake Wohilip Mail reports the occurrence of two fatal accidents at Shippers within the last ten days. Robert Duncan, an oi l resident at Skippers, met his death through the falling in of IS tunnel in which he was working. In the other case, the coroner's jury returned tho following verdict ; —That tho deceased Wm. Shepherd came to his death by falling ovor a precipice while in a stato of intoxication. Rider : is attached to those drink during