SHOEING OF HORSES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 440, 24 February 1909, Page 5

SHOEING OF HORSES.

FOOT DEFECTS AND HOW TO FIT, TM EM. .

Ever since Lafosse - gave utterance to tho aphorism "No foot no horse,'' it has :been a standing; expression of >. all' writers on - this organ, and everyone ■ having' any knowledge of the horse has: recognised its truth: («ays Professor:- Wortley - Axe in the ."Live Stock Journal"). In explanation of this it only need be said 'that the .foot bears the stress and strain of the weight of the body; and tho force which it imparts ' to the limbs. Strictly speaking, the foot embraces all those parts ' from the - kneobut in the course of the evolutionary pro-' cess to 'which the horse, has. been subjected •he-is' left with 'a large nail or hoof covering the third- phalanx, upon which he stands, and which is now known as the foot. Apart from internal changes which result from disease,' ..there are some ..deformities of tho foot essentially' of a .congenital :.imf tiire,; and'.which, materially.: diminish,,'the value of the . animal,' 'although.: thej'; may not cause lameness.

/ .The. size of horses' feet differs very considerably; "--Some-too large,mothers .too small, while, soffio again, are notsymmetrical.: Many inconveniences arise out' of 'large feet. \ln animals "with this defect-, the action , is heavy, and tlioy hit tho -ground violently,: to the detriment' of their limbs. Moreover, such a horse fails, to control his feet. when, in action, and brushes or bruises ■his''fetlocks.-.. This renders' him -liable'.to stumble,', and frequently to pull off his shoes. Large feet : require large and heavy shoes, which tire the limhs,: and bring about many diseases' of the. tendons, ligaments .and bones, in raddition'vto which feet of this kind are; mostly-somewhat and the'heels' low, rendering tho sole liable to be bruised. • In shoeing, animals with, this defect, the shoes should be thick from too to heel, and placed : somewhat under tho foot on - tho inner 'side', while . the., crust, at 'this, part should be'nicely rourtded .oCE. A still more serious defect in the .foot of., the horse, is. that it should : be too flat, in which c»se.

it. is, wide 1 and spreading,' with; low, . weak" heels, a largo frog, and much inclined. Tho horn is; loose ,in ■, texture, brittle, and the sole is flat.' lii shoeing an "animal -.of 'this description- a light, / broad : webbed shoe should bo selected, the foot surface of whioh will require to be coucave, or , hollowed so that no unnecessary' -pressure may be applied to the sole. In tho operation preparing the foot for the shoes, the farrier should avoid paring the sole; which renders it thin and weak, and he should interfere with tho heek as . little as possible. .; Loose or partly detached / horn hanging from ' the frog should be cut away, but in no case should this organ be further interfered with. The bearing of the shoo should be confined to the , crust and parts immediately: contiguous to it. •

As a result of disease, the feet of horses undergo senous changes of form- and structure. sometimes to the utter disablement of the animal for employment of any kind. The condition known as "pumiced" ■ foot not infrequently has this - effect. ! All the internal/ structures of the foot, not excepting the bone, participate in the''disease i'rom which it results. A "pumiced" foot is 'one in/ which-the sole becomes 'convex, or bulges: towards:, tho ground, and frequently projects beyond the crust, when 'it is generally spoken of as "chopped: .sole." In this, case' the. weight of .-the body, instead of being borne by the hoof or outer wall, is frequently thrown upon tho . sole, causing pressure on the sensitive structures within;, -/ and consequent lameness. . The' bulging of the solo results from the downward displacement of the foot-bone, '• the front of which'-.haj been Separated from its connection; with the i hoof-horn, as the result of inflammation created by the downward pull of. the flexor tendon. , ' , ■ The. horn / in this disease is brittle:■ and loose in texture, tho front of the foot is concave and; marked .by;-a', liumber- of rings, while'the ; toe, is thickened-.;: In - these cases shoeingl.is difficult, and requires all : th'e : skill of . .the: farrier's art. Certain parts of-the hoof may be too brittle anjl: broken to admit of - nails being driven, into them, and only vtihose. parts 'of . the crust should be selected for. nailing where/the horn is firm and /.compact. The kind of shoe to be selected 'in':: these -cases, .will ■ depend' ;. very much upon the degree of convexity of. the sole. Where this is- not considerable,, and the-crust is fairly.sound; a/narrow and thick shoo may be applied, and fitted 'so a's to Test ; only on the'' wall- and parts between^'"'it ami the sole. -/The : heel' of'the. shoe' should'.'bd' slightly, thinner:than the toe, .so as 'to allow, the frog to touch the ground-and participate •in'; supporting/ .the For the lighter kind; of horse : this shoe; may 'suffice, ; but /for cart horses, : where' the solo is much displaced', it will, require to be protected from injury by stories of various kinds, employed in 'the:; making and: repair.' of. roads.- For. this.';purpose tho shoe must be. thick, and made so as to furnish cover for the sole/and. .prevent: its contact 'with the 'ground;' It should ', also 'be : seated' /is;: made thinner from; the : outer border of the foot surface-; to the. inner, so that the shoe shall not. press-upon' the: sole, / In some cases , the feet may bo broken, away, in parts, and so brittle inails ; ; cannot bo driven; into them. . 'Whon this is so, .the soundest part of. the crust must bo selected to '5 receive them, arid,; if necessary,- one or two : quarter ..clips' .niay be drawn so/as to. give further' means of retaining the shoe. •v ■