466 



The Country Gentleman s Magazine 



that large horses shod in the manner we now 

 condemn, the iron upon each foot being 3}^ 

 or 4 pounds, do not wear the shoes longer, 

 and in many cases not so long, as when the 

 shoes were one pound or more lighter ; and 

 to those who have the supervision of horses 

 doing heavy as well as rapid work, this fact 

 must recommend itself as well as to those who 

 take the shoeing by contract. 



There are other defects which are con- 

 nected Avith shoes ; these arise from the 

 method in which the holes are made, which 

 call for a special mode of pointing and driv- 

 ing the nails. Holes are either made in a 

 seam or groove, known as the " crease," or 

 " fullering," or " stamped," i.e. — they are 

 punched without any such groove, and some 

 men make what they term coarse holes, while 

 others adhere to \\\&fine system. 



Now when coarse holes are made, we 

 understand them .to be farthest from the 

 outer edge of the shoe, but each keeping an 

 uniform distance ; the fine seam consists of 

 holes placed very near to the outside. The 

 direction of the holes is sometimes the oppo- 

 site of what it should be. One or all may be 

 pointed outwards, others are the reverse, and 

 therefore the smith who has to put on the 

 shoe, probably discovers such a hole, which 

 is the last, and to save trouble in alteration, 

 as well as taking off the shoe, foolishly drives 

 the nail, which being curved by the direction 

 of the hole, important parts are damaged and 

 lameness follows. Holes at the toe and 

 heel often prove inconvenient from this 

 cause ; especially in all mutilated feet. "When 

 holes are directed inwards from a fine seam^ 

 the nails are caused to approach, wound or 

 press upon the sensitive parts, while the hold 

 upon the hoof is but slight, and pieces are 



more readily split off. In the coarse style, 

 equal care is required, as parts are still likely 

 to be wounded, particularly when nails are 

 driven very high. 



When shoes are too light, they are equally 

 prejudicial. They either are subject to frac- 

 ture, too rapid wear, or opening at the heels,, 

 and thus prove destructive to the hoof or 

 opposite leg during action. 



Shoes should be of moderate weight, in 

 order to provide for the wearer requisite pro- 

 tection and durability, so that too frequent 

 removals may be avoided, which are detri- 

 mental to the hoof They should likewise be 

 so constructed that their weight may not 

 cause too great waste of muscular power. If 

 a horse can travel for a whole month in a 

 shoe 5 or 6 ounces in weight, it will surely 

 cause a great and unnecessary expenditure of 

 muscular energy if he is compelled to 

 raise from the ground 3 or 4 ounces more ; 

 such waste must be supplied, and that at the 

 cost of the ability of the animal as well as 

 extra food. Lastly, shoes often prove great 

 evils because they provide no means of safe 

 foothold. It is absurd to place fiat shoes 

 upon draught horses, when heavy loads are to 

 be moved ; and those up heavy gradients and 

 over greasy stones. W'hen winter covers the 

 roads with ice and snow, man at once avails 

 himself of the plan of providing heels and toes 

 on the shoes of his horses for safety, but 

 denies their utihty at other seasons when 

 from a coating of greasy mud the stones are 

 equally as dangerous. We are at a loss to 

 see the course of reasoning in the latter in- 

 stance, but do not fail to see the end in 

 weakened legs, sprained tendons, and ad- 

 juncts to destruction of a sound state of the 

 horse's hoofs. 



