FOOT POUNDS — FORAGE 



latter, are unfortunately far too often tampered with by 

 ignorant shoeing smiths. It cannot, therefore, be too 

 strongly impressed upon owners that they should refuse 

 to have the bars and frogs of their horses' hoofs pared away 

 unnecessarily by the reckless use of the drawing knife, nor 

 should they permit the outside walls to be rasped, as this 

 undoubtedly injures the horn. In cases where the horn is 

 dry and brittle, a very good dressing is mutton fat melted 

 down and applied to the hoofs both on the walls and soles, 

 as it becomes absorbed, and assists in replacing the natural 

 oil of the horn, which may have been extracted by contact 

 with a hot shoe or some other cause. (See Contracted Feet, 

 Frog, Heels, Hoofs, Shoeing.) 



Foot Pounds. — It has been calculated that a one-horse 

 engine working for ten hours on end will raise a weight of 

 19,799,360 pounds I foot from the ground. No horse, how- 

 ever, is likely to be equal to such an achievement, eight 

 hours slow walking with a traction of 100 pounds being 

 equal to only 8,463,571 foot pounds a day ; whilst slow farm 

 work has been estimated as being a little under 3,000,000 

 pounds more. Much, however, must depend upon the speed 

 as well as upon the weight of the load ; but it has been 

 calculated that the following represent a fair average in foot 

 pounds: a hard day's work at the walk, 11,500,000; a hard 

 day's work at the trot, 7,233,000 ; the difference being due to 

 the fact that there is less waste of tissue when fast work is 

 being done, as less force is required to execute this. The 

 above figures may be found useful to owners who are 

 calculating the amount of food their horses should be given. 



Forage. — Many owners in a small way find it advan- 

 tageous to contract for the foraging of their horse by a 

 local tradesman at a fixed amount, which must, or should, 

 depend upon the market price of the corn, hay, and straw 

 supplied. From about half a guinea to twelve shillings may, 



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