HORSE AND OX SHOEING. 305 



The calks should be short and neat, and well steeled and 

 hardened, especially at the toe. Ox shoes should be made of 

 Sweed's iron — as should also horse shoes — and contain not less 

 than six nail holes for the fore feet, and five for the hind feet — 

 most of the holes toward the toe, as there the hoof is thickest 

 and strongest. In nailing, use a little gouge to cut out under 

 the clinches on the inside claws of the forward feet, to prevent 

 interfering. The importance of putting on ox shoes of good 

 length, is not so generally appreciated as it should be. If an 

 ox once gets in the habit of treading or rolling back on his 

 heels by wearing short shoes, it will require very long ones to 

 prevent it. As a general rule, the hoofs of oxen should be so 

 pared that a straight edge will fit across the claws, so that the 

 foot may set perfectly flat on the ground. 



The foot of the ox is less complicated than that of the horse, 

 and far less liable to disease. By bad shoeing, or other causes, 

 the claws are sometimes sprained, producing callous joints 

 resembling ring-bones on horses. Inflammation in the forward 

 feet of oxen from drawing heavy loads on long journeys with 

 short or unsuitable shoes, has sometimes produced a partial 

 separation between the wall or shell of the hoof and the bones 

 of the foot, resembling founders in the horse. 



The proper treatment of oxen in the slings cannot be too 

 strongly insisted upon. Few cattle will strive hard in the 

 slings, if they are taken up properly. They stand better to 

 bear about half their own weight, resting the other half, of 

 course, on the slings. If taken up much higher than this, they 

 will be uncomfortable, and strive to gain their liberty. If the 

 slings are lower they will not be sufficiently confined to submit 

 to the fastening of their legs. I use no ropes or straps for this 

 purpose, as they are liable to stretch and to loosen the feet. If 

 then the ox strives, there is danger of his straining the cords 

 and joints — if not to break a leg, as I have known to happen. 

 A twisted chain, covered with leather, and made fast round the 

 foot with a small lever, is the best fixture I have ever seen for 

 this purpose. 



The slings should be in perfect order in every part. No ox 

 should be confined in them over forty-five minutes. The longer 

 they are in the slings the more they will struggle to free them- 

 selves. 1 have known cattle to leave the slings with bruises 



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