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COMMUNICATIONS. 
journals. This is, perhaps, to a great extent, the fault of the 
subscribers, as we are all rather loath to write our experiences and 
observations—some from lack of time, but more, perhaps, have an 
idea they cannot write anything interesting. I can offer both 
of these excuses, but, as E. L. M. says his article was written to 
open discussion, I also write in the same spirit. 
As I lived in Wisconsin quite a number of years, I know 
some of the conditions there in regard to the abuse of horses’ 
feet; but of all climates, I think the climate and soil here in the 
valley is the hardest on the foot of the horse, and, I might say, 
there is as little care taken of horses’ feet here as any place I 
have lived. This last is on account of there being so many horses 
raised in comparison to the number used, and as they require 
no stabling during the year, their feet are seldom looked after 
until they are broken, which is usually at two or three years old. 
As irrigation ditches are numerous the horses run in these at 
will, and from there to the grass-covered fields, inducing a great 
growth of hoof, which breaks and cracks, leaving the foot in 
anything but a proper condition. This applies only to the great 
valleys, as the range horse has a hoof smooth and almost as hard 
as iron. There are some good shoers, but there is a tendency 
here, as everywhere, to scoop out the bottom of the foot, nail on 
the shoe, then rasp the foot to fit the shoe, instead of fitting the 
shoe to the foot. Factory-made shoes, where there is a narrow 
rim around the outside for the wall only to rest upon, with a 
concave surface where the sole should rest, should in my opinion, 
never be put on, as my observation has convinced me the side 
of the shoe next the foot should rest its whole width on the foot, 
at the same time paring the foot so the frog will support its share 
of the weight of the horse. This is important, as the frog is 
nature’s wedge to prevent contraction of the heel. In case of in¬ 
terfering, a slight lowering of the inside of the foot (instead of 
the outside, as most shoers do) will in most cases prevent this. 
Forging.—There is quite a tendency in young horses 
to forge (that is striking the toe of the hind foot against 
the toe of the front foot, on the under side, just as the front foot 
is raised from the ground), which causes a clicking sound. 
The best remedy for this is to let the hind toe extend longer, 
keeping the heel low, which delays the action of the hock, giv¬ 
ing the front foot more time to move forward out of the way. 
At the same time shoe light behind, and slightly increase the 
weight in front. This plan will, to a great extent, also obviate 
the trouble of overreaching or grabbing the quarter. Although 
