SHOinXC COLTS. Ill 



time the animal arrives at the age of two or three years 

 old the damage has been done, and is difficult to rectify, 

 but I believe that if taken in time at this age we can 

 work wonders along these lines by simply gradually re- 

 ducing the heels a trifle every week; it would not do to 

 attempt to cut them down at one cutting as this generally 

 only causes aggravation of the case, but by gradually re- 

 ducing the foot to normal we may bring about the desired 

 result. Shoeing with tips, especially the "Cliaarlier" tip, 

 is indicated, or rubber pads applied with a tip often re- 

 stores confidence and gradually the animal places weight 

 upon the heels again, but it takes time to rectifj' this 

 trouble, and one must everlastingly keep at it. 



We all know that a weak back, a weak bladder or kid- 

 nej's, or any trouble along the back or loins, invariably 

 causes an animal to walk, more or less, on its nma toec, 

 but this could be diagnosed by any competent veterin- 

 arian, and if this were the cause of the trouble a cure 

 would be affected as soon as the cause was removed. 



Alfalfa is not a proper food for a horse, if fed alone. 

 A little of it, now and then, may be all right, but for an 

 animal that has to work hard, or undergo a hard siege of 

 training, it is absolutely out of place and I would advise 

 you, even if this may be the direct cause of the trouble, 

 to write to the E'xperimental Station of Colorado and they 

 will gladly furnish you with the desired information in 

 regards to the action of alfalfa on the kidneys of the 

 horse. 



Manrico 3, 2:07i4, in the sixth heat of a race, car- 

 ried an angle of sixty degrees on his hind feet; he would 

 wear his hind shoes in two in a few days and never even 

 brighten up the heels. I had occasion to meet the man 

 who shod Manrico during most of his career while in 

 California, in charge of Will Durfee. This man, Watt 

 Cleveland, was doing the Great ^^estern Circuit in com- 

 pany with Roy Wilhelm. Both these boys are from 

 California, first class mechanics, and also about two as 

 good fellows as one could meet anywhere in this wide 

 world. They told me that Manrico was in this condition 

 when first shod, and they both thought that it was caused 

 by neglecting the feet during the early months of his 

 colthood. They said that they had tried to cut down his 

 heels, but that he simply would not set them down level 

 with the floor, but that when working on one foot the 



