800 



HORSE-RADISH TREE 



HORSESHOEING 



order Cruciferse and to the same genus as scurvy- 

 grass. It possesses the same antiscorbutic pro- 

 perties as the latter, but is better known popularly 

 on account of its use as a condiment with roast- 

 beef. It is highly stimulant, exciting the stomach 



and promoting the 

 secretions, particu- 

 larly that of urine. 

 Its virtues depend 

 upon a volatile oil 

 similar to oil of 

 mustard. The oil 

 contains about 30 

 per cent, of sulphur 

 to its other elements, 

 and is recognised as 

 one of the most 

 powerful antiscorbu- 

 tics known. Horse- 

 radish is a native 

 of south-eastern 

 Europe, has long 

 been cultivated in 

 British gardens, and 

 is naturalised in 

 some parts of Eng- 

 land and Ireland. 

 For its perfect cul- 

 tivation it requires 

 very deeply-worked 

 soil, from which it is 

 very difficult to eradi- 

 cate, as the smallest 

 bit of root not re- 

 moved will emit a 

 bud. Cases of fatal 

 poisoning have 

 several times oc- 

 curred through the 

 ignorant mistaking 

 the roots of Monkshood (q-v.) for those of horse- 

 radish. The former are powerfully poisonous ; but 

 there is no resemblance between the two plants in 

 any respect. The roots of horse-radish are long, 

 tapering, cylindrical, with a cream-coloured skin. 

 Those of monkshood are short, irregular in shape, 

 blunt at both ends, and have a nut-brown skin. 

 The root-leaves of horse-radish are from 9 to 18 inches 

 long by from 4 to 6 inches broad, entire, but often 

 toothed on the margins. Those of monkshood are 

 roundish in outline, divided to the base into five to 

 seven deeply-cut, linear, finely-pointed segments. 

 The flowers of horse-radish, which are sparingly 

 produced in Britain or the United States, are borne 

 on branching stems about 2 feet high, and com- 

 posed of four pure white spreading petals. Monks- 

 ho'bd bears its flowers freely in handsome racemes, 

 at the extremities of usually simple or unbranched 

 stems ; the colour is deep blue, and the unopened 

 flower strongly resembles a helmet or hood. 



Horse-radish Tree. See BEN (OiL OF). 



Horseshoeing. In olden times horses gener- 

 ally went unshod, as they now do in many eastern 

 countries ; but our macadamised roads and paved 

 streets, fast paces and heavy loads, would speedily 

 wear away the stoutest hoofs, and a rim of iron 

 has accordingly been long in use as a protection. 

 In style and pattern the horse's shoe varies almost 

 as much as his master's boot^ and like it, when 

 badly made or unskilfully fitted, produces serious 

 inconvenience, and even leads to accidents and 

 diseases. When the feet are strong and properly 

 managed nothing is better than a plain shoe of 

 tolerably uniform breadth and thickness, carefully 

 fashioned to the shape of the foot. But many 

 good authorities prefer what is called a seated 

 shoe, which has a level part for the crust to 



Roots of Horse-radish (a) and 

 Monkshood (6). 



rest upon, and within that the inner half of the 

 shoe towards the sole surface is bevelled off. This 

 seated shoe is thus wider than the plain shoe, and 

 hence affords greater protection for a weak or flat 

 sole. For faulty or diseased feet special forms of 

 shoes are made. In all healthy feet the shoe 

 should be fitted to the foot, and not, as is com- 

 monly done, the foot cut to fit the shoe. Another 

 frequent error must be avoided keeping the shoe 

 short and spare at the heels. For roadsters the 

 toe of the fore-shoes should be slightly turned up, 

 which greatly obviates tripping. The hind-shoes 

 are generally thickened and sometimes turned doAvn 

 at the heels. The number of nails required must 

 vary somewhat with the weight of the snoe and the 

 soundness of the horn ; five is the minimum, nine 

 the maximum. It is important, however, that the 

 shoes be firmly held on by as few nails as possible. 

 In a saddle-horse with sound feet three on the 

 outside and two on the inside should suffice to 

 hold a well-fitted shoe. Horses for heavy draught 



A sound Fore-foot prepared for the Shoe : 

 A, A, the heels of the crust ; B, the toe cut out to receive the 

 clip ; C, C, the quarters of the crust ; D, D, the bars as they 

 should be left, with the full frog between them ; E, B, the 

 angles between the heels and bars, where corns appear; 

 F, F, the concave surface of the toe ; G, G, the bulbous heels ; 

 H, the cleft. 



are generally shod in Scotland with tips and heels, 

 which afford increased firmness of tread and greater 

 power, especially when dragging heavy loads. To 

 preserve the foot in a sound state the shoes should 

 be removed every month. When the shoe is care- 

 fully taken off, the wall-surface on which it has 

 rested should be rasped, to remove any ragged 

 edges and any portions of adhering nails. Having 

 for a month been protected from the wear to which 

 the exposed portions of the foot are subjected, it 

 will probably have grown considerably, and in a 

 stout hoof will require to be cut down with the 

 drawing-knife, especially towards the toe. Except 

 in very strong feet and in farm -horses working 

 on soft land, the surface of the sole uncovered by 

 the shoe seldom requires to be cut. It is the 

 natural protection of the internal delicate parts, 

 and must be preferable to the leather and pads 

 often artificially substituted for it. The bars must 

 likewise remain untouched, for they are of great 

 service in supporting weight ; whilst the tough, 

 elastic frog must be scrupulously preserved from 

 the destructive attacks of the knife, and allowed 

 uninjured to fulfil its functions as an insensible 

 pad, obviating concussion, and supporting weight. 

 When the shoe is put on and the nails well driven 

 home, they should be broken off about an eighth 

 or even a sixteenth of an inch from the crust, and 



