JOHNA.SEAVERNS 
 
 
 
^^m 
 
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 J 
 
Prof^. GEORGE E. RICH, 
 
k Practical aiifl Scientific Treatise, 
 
 GIVING IMPROVED METHODS OF SHOEING, WITH 
 
 SPECIAL DIRECTIONS FOR SHAPING SHOES 
 
 TO CURE DIFFERENT DISEASES OF THE 
 
 FOOT, AND FOR THE CORRECTION OF 
 
 FAULTY ACTION IN TROTTERS. 
 
 PROF. GEO. E. RICH 
 
 ILLUSTRATED. 
 
 NEW YORK • 
 M. T. RICHARDSON CO., PUBLISHERS, 
 
 1899. 
 
Copyright, 1889. 
 By M. T. RICHARDSON. 
 
PREFACE, 
 
 -lH presenting- this work to the horse-shoeing* fraternity, 
 the author desires to state that tlie illustrations and de- 
 scriptions of shoes furnished do not represent impracticable 
 theories, but are the result of long- years of experience. 
 Every one of the shoes described has been tested and found 
 to do the work claimed for it. His object in bring-ing- out 
 this book is to elevate the practice of horse-shoeing- and 
 instruct those who desire instruction, as to the best methods 
 of shoeing*. He does not claim that the book is free from 
 imperfections, but asks his readers not to condemn his 
 methods without first g-iving them a thorough trial. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF PROF. GEO. E. RICH. 
 
 The publisher of this work has felt that the many friends 
 of Prof. Geo. E. Rich, as well as those who are likely to be- 
 come his friends from the perusal of this book, would be 
 g-lad to know something- of his early history and to see a 
 portrait of the man who has achieved such success as a 
 practical horse-shoer and lecturer on the anatomy of the 
 horse's foot. Prof. Rich was born in the villag-e of Leona, 
 Bradford Co., Pa., in the year 1847. His father was a 
 blacksmith, and young* George commenced helping him in 
 his shop when he had to stand on a wooden box in the front 
 of the anvil in order to wield his sledge successfully. 
 
 He began to shoe horses, when he was eleven 3^ears of 
 age, in the village of Roseville, Pa., and worked in that 
 place until he was fourteen 3^ears old. From there he went 
 to Washington, D. C, and followed his trade of horse- 
 shoer at the corner of I and 24th streets, shoeing large 
 numbers of horses for the Government. Thence, after 
 about a year, he went to Dunkirk, IST. Y., and from there to 
 Elmira, working in each place for several years. He after- 
 wards worked for a couple of years in Tiog-a Co.,Pa., as 
 well as in Harrjsbiu'^. 
 
6 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 From there he went to Baltimore, where he succeeded in 
 g-etting- a position in one of the best shops in that city. 
 Being" anxious to learn all he could in regard to horse-shoe- 
 ing he worked for three dollars a week, and paid three dol- 
 lars and a half a week for his board, but while working in 
 this shop he made rapid advances in the art of horse-shoe- 
 ing. 
 
 By a happy circumstance he made the acquaintance of 
 Profs. Rockwell and Hurlburt, the former the inventor of 
 the celebrated Rockwell Bit. Both these gentlemen were 
 expert horse trainers. Mr. Rich worked for them for fifty 
 cents a day. He had shod horses then for about ten years, 
 but notwithstanding all this experience he could only make 
 one kind of shoe, and fully realized that he had a great deal 
 yet to learn about horse-shoeing*. 
 
 When Mr. Rich first began work for Rockwell and Hurl- 
 burt they insisted upon his studying the anatomy and 
 structure of the horse's foot, claiming that he could not 
 shoe horses properly without understanding all about the 
 foot he was manipulating. Of course it was very hard 
 work, and he thought it more of a nuisance than anything 
 else, but Prof. Rockwell insisted that he would not be fit to 
 shoe a horse until he had mastered all these points. Be- 
 fore he left Mr. Rockwell he was getting three dollars a 
 day, which was quite an improvement over the fifty cents a 
 day with which he had started. 
 
 Mr. Rockwell taught him how to make quite a number of 
 different kinds of shoes for different diseases of the foot. 
 He has kept adding to these, for different purposes, until 
 now he makes fifty-three different kinds of shoes, each one 
 
INTRODUCTION, T 
 
 adapted to some different condition of the foot, and design- 
 ed either for curing- some disease or for correcting some 
 fault in gait. 
 
 During the past five years Mr. Rich has shod, probably, 
 twenty-five hundred horses of all kinds, sound, lame and 
 crippled. 
 
 He is now traveling, accompanied bj^ several assistants, 
 giving lectures in important towns in New York State 
 and Pennsylvania. After explaining in one of his lectures 
 all about the structure of the foot and how horses ought to 
 be shod, he is called upon to shoe a great many horses who 
 have been more or less injured by bad shoeing, and in near- 
 ly every instance he succeeds in accomplishing what is 
 regarded b^^ ordinary blacksmiths as wonders. 
 
 Of course he has now reached a point where he is, 
 pecuniarily speaking, doing well, but he derives full as 
 much satisfaction from the knowledge that his efforts to 
 ameliorate the condition of that noble animal, tlie horse, are 
 appreciated, as from an3^ gain which comes to him from his 
 work. He is acting in the capacity of a missionary 
 among horse-shoers, and is teaching hundreds of them, 
 who have previously had but crude notions about the art, 
 how to shoe horses artistically and scientifically. 
 
Artistic Horse-shoeing^ 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 ANCIENT HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 Horse-shoeing- has been practiced in one form or another 
 ever since the horse in remote ages was tamed and sub- 
 dued for the uses of man. At first the shoes were doubt- 
 less constructed of raw hides, and extended sufficiently 
 high on the hoof to admit of being" fastened around it in 
 some way. When man learned to convert iron ore into 
 iron that, by the aid of fire, could be forged into any shape 
 desired, it soon occurred to some inventive mind that shoes 
 might be fashioned of iron and nailed to the horse's foot in 
 some wa3^ The man to conceive the idea of nailing shoes 
 to the feet was doubtless the first oue who had ever under- 
 taken to study the anatoni}^ of the foot. The idea, perhaps, 
 may have been suggested by examining some old foot that 
 in the process of decay of the animal to which it belonged, 
 had naturally, on account of its hard substance, survived 
 longer than the fiesh or even the bones. This primitive 
 anatomist saw that if care were taken a nail could be 
 driven into the hoof without touching^ any sensitive point. 
 
10 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 and then if this nail was clinched it would hold the iron 
 shoe on the foot. No improvement over this system ol 
 fastening- has been made, but vast improvements have been 
 made in the nails by which the shoes are driven on, and 
 also in the sho^s themselves. 
 
 The horse, in a state of nature, requires no shoes. 
 The natural growth of the hoof is sufficient to take the 
 place of any ordinary wear, such as a horse would be 
 subjected to in the process of hunting" for its food in a wild 
 
 Fig. 1.— Ancient Arabian Shoe. Fig. 2.— Modern Arabian Shoe. 
 
 state. When brought into the service of man, and com- 
 pelled to use his feet on hard roads or pavements, the hoof 
 of course naturally wears away i^apidly. To prevent this 
 wear the horse is shod, and the original idea of a shoe was 
 simply to prevent the hoof wearing* away. 
 
 To give the reader of this volume an opportunity to com- 
 pare modern horse-shoes with man's first idea of a horse- 
 shoe we present herewith several illustrations of shoes such 
 as the Arabs and other European nations used centuries 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 11 
 
 ago. Fig-. 1 shows an ancient Arabian shoe, while Fig". 2 
 shows a modern Arabian shoe. It will be seen that very 
 little progress has apparently been made in the East in 
 shoeine: horses since iron was first introduced for horse- 
 
 FiG. 3.— Showing the Method of 
 Fastening Arabian Shoes to the 
 Foot. 
 
 Fig. 4.— Modern Portuguese 
 Horse-shoe. 
 
 Fig. 5.— Modern Persian 
 Horse-shoe. 
 
 Fig. 6.— Modern Moorish 
 Horse-shoe. 
 
 shoes. These Arabian shoes are simply pieces of sheet- 
 iron stamped out to conform to a special pattern. The 
 method of fastening these shoes to the feet will be found 
 illustrated in Fig. 3. Even at this time the Moors, Per- 
 sians and Portuguese use forms of horse-shoes in no essen- 
 tial particular an improvement over the ancient Arabian 
 
12 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 shoes. Fig-. 4 represents a modern Portuguese shoe. Fig*. 
 5 a Persian shoe, while Fig". 6 shows a Moorish shoe. An 
 inspection of these crude specimens of horse-shoes will be 
 likely to suggest to the thoughtful reader that the people 
 of the East are by no means either inventive or progres- 
 sive. Placed alongside of modern horse-shoes these ancient 
 samples present a rather sorry appearance. In Fig. 7 will 
 
 Fig. 7.— Old English Shoe in Use in the 18th Century. 
 
 be seen the form of the old English horse-shoe used, 
 according to Ma^^hew, an English authority, at the com- 
 mencement of the 18th century. In comparison with the 
 Arabian and Moorish or Persian shoes this old English 
 shoe presents several important improvements. Instead of 
 being fastened b^^ the method emplo^^ed by the Arabs the 
 old English slioe was evidentl3^ nailed on the foot the same 
 as shoes are fastened on now. But to the horse-shoer of 
 that time it appeared necessary to employ many more nails 
 than are now considered essential. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSESHOEING. l3 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 ANATOMY OF THE FOOT. 
 
 If shoeing" is not properly done it produces many diseases 
 of the foot. 
 
 It is easilj^ possible to ruin a good horse in a very short 
 time by bad shoeing. It is also possible when a horse is 
 lame from any cause to, in a measure, remove this lameness, 
 and sometimes to entirely cure it by proper shoeing. No 
 man can shoe a horse properly who does not understand 
 all about the anatomical construction of his feet and legs. 
 He must know how many bones there are in the foot, exact- 
 ly where they are located, and what their uses are. 
 
 How many blacksmiths or horse-shoers are sufficiently 
 familiar with the foot of a horse to describe the location of 
 the different bones and give their technical names ? It is 
 safe to predict that only a small percentag-e could accom- 
 plish this feat, simple as it is. 
 
 We frequently hear horse-shoers claiming" to understand 
 the art in all its bearings, who could not even describe the 
 shape of the coffin-bone, or tell where it was located. The 
 author does not propose in this treatise to go into an ex- 
 tensive explanation of the anatomy of the foot, his object 
 simply being to describe the different bones and tendons in 
 such a way that the whole matter may be easily compre- 
 hended by anybody. 
 
14 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 As the work of the shoer is confined solely to the hoof it 
 is essential that he should understand its construction. It 
 consists first of the Wall or Crust, the Sole, Frog and 
 coronary Frog- Band. 
 
 The Wall is that portion of the front and sides of the 
 foot from the coronet to the ground. It is through the wall 
 that the shoer drives his nails, and it is upon the wall that 
 the shoe rests. 
 
 Fleming, a noted authority on horse-shoeing, says in his 
 description of the wall : *^ The inner face of its upper edge 
 is hollowed out in a somewhat wide concavity which 
 receives, or rather in which rests, the coronary cushion. 
 This concavity is chiefly remarkable for being pierced 
 everywhere by countless minute openings which penetrate 
 the substance of the wall to a considerable depth. Each of 
 these perforations receives one of the ' villi ' or minute tufts of 
 blood vessels already mentioned as prolonged from the face 
 of the membrane covering the interior of the foot. Belaw 
 this concavity, which receives a large share of the horse's 
 weight, the wall is of about equal thickness from top to 
 bottom. On the whole of its inner surface are ranged 
 thin, narrow, vertical, horny plates, in number correspond- 
 ing to the vascular laminae, between which they are so inti- 
 mately received or dove-tailed (a horny leaf between two 
 vascular ones) that in the living or flesh sides it is almost 
 impossible to disunite without tearing them. The inner 
 face of the lower margin is united in a solid manner to the 
 horny sole through the medium of a narrow band of soft, 
 light colored horn, situated l)et\veen the two, which we may 
 call the * white line' or ^zone.' " 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEINO. 15 
 
 The dimensions of the wall var^^ in different situations. 
 In front it is deepest, but toward the quarters and heels it 
 diminishes and becomes thinner ; at its angles of inflection 
 (the points of the heels) it is strong-. This structure is 
 fibrous, the fibres pass directly parallel to each other from 
 the coronet to the gTOund, each fibre being- moulded on, as 
 it is secreted, by one of the minute tufts of blood vessels 
 lodged in the cavity at the coronet. 
 
 Fig. 8 shows the dittereiit kinds of horn of which the 
 horse's hoof is made up. a, a, is the wall: the outer or dark 
 
 Fig. 8. 
 
 portion constitutes the crust of the wall; 6, is the light col- 
 ored or yielding horn of the sole; c, is the elastic horn of 
 the frog. 
 
 Next we have to consider the Horny Sole, and the same 
 authority describes it as being ''contained within the lower 
 margin of the wall and is a concave plate covering the low- 
 er face of the pedal bone. ' ' In structure it is fibrous like the 
 wall, the fibres passing in the same direction, and are form- 
 ed in the same manner by the tufts of blood vessels project- 
 ed from the membrane Avhich immediately covers the bone. 
 
16 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 These tufts penetrate the horny fibres the same depth as 
 in the wall, maintaining- them in a moist, supple condition, 
 such as best fits them for their office. The sole is thickest 
 around its outer border where it joins the wal^thinnest in 
 the centre, where it is most concave. A peculiarity of this 
 part of the hoof is its tendency to break off in flakes on 
 the ground face when the fibres have attained a certain 
 length. The wall, on the contrary, continues to grow in 
 length to an indefinite extent, and unless kept within rea- 
 sonable dimensions by continual wear or the instruments 
 of the farrier, would in time acquire an extraordinary dis- 
 tortion. 
 
 The Horny Sole for this reason is less dense and resist- 
 ing than that of the '' Wall," and is designed more to sup- 
 I)ort weight than to stand wear. 
 
 The same authority, in describing the Horny Frog, states 
 that it ^' is an exact reduplication of that within the hoof 
 described as the sensitive or fatty frog. It is pyramidal 
 in shape, and is situated at the back part of the hoof within 
 the bars, with its point of apex extending forward to the 
 centre of the sole, and its base or thickest portion fill- 
 ' ing up the wide space left between the inflexions of the 
 wall. In the middle of the posterior part is a cleft, which 
 in the health}^ state should not be deep, but rather shallow 
 and sound on its surface. 
 
 *'In structure, this body is also fibrous, the fibres pass- 
 ing in the same direction as those of the other portions of 
 the hoof ; but, instead of being quite rectilinear like them, 
 they are wavy or flexuous in their course, and present some 
 microscopical pecuJ-arities which, though interesting to the 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEINa. 17 
 
 comparative anatomist, need not be alluded to here. The 
 fibres are finer than those of the sole and wall, and are 
 composed of cells arranged in the same manner as else- 
 where in the hoof ; they are formed by the villi wliich thickly 
 stud the face of the membrane covering- the sensitive frog. 
 
 *'The substance of the horn}^ frog is eminently elastic, 
 and corresponds in the closest manner to the dense, elastic, 
 epidermic pads on the soles of tlie feet of such animals as 
 the camel, elephant, lion, bear, dog, cat, etc., and which 
 are evidentl}^ designed for contact with the ground, the 
 support and protection of the tendons that flex the foot, to 
 facilitate the springy movements of these creatures, and 
 for the prevention of jar and injury to the limbs. 
 
 *^In the horse's foot, the presence of this thick, com- 
 pressible, and supple mass of horn at the back of the hoof, 
 its being in a healthy unmutilated condition, and permitted 
 to reach the ground while the animal is standing or 
 moving, are absolutely essential to the well-being of that 
 organ, more especiall^^ should speed, in addition to weight- 
 carrying, be exacted. 
 
 " Tlie frog, like the sole, exfoliates or becomes reduced in 
 thickness at a certain stage of its growth ; the flakes are 
 more cohesive than those of the sole. 
 
 '' It must be remarked, however, that this exfoliation of 
 the sole and frog only takes place Avhen the more recently- 
 formed horn beneath has acquired sufficient hardness and 
 density to sustain contract with the ground, and exposure 
 to the effects of heat, dryness and moisture. 
 
 ''The 'Coronary Frog-Band,' or 'Periople,' is a con- 
 tinuation of the more superficial layer of the skin around 
 
18 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 the coronet and heels, in the form of a thin, light-colored 
 band that descends to a variable depth on the outer surface 
 of the wall, and at the back part of the hoof becomes con- 
 solidated with the frog", with which it is identical in struct- 
 ure and texture. It can be readily perceived in the hoof 
 that has not been mutilated by the farrier's rasp, extend- 
 ing from the coronet, where the hair ceases, to some dis-. 
 tance down the hoof ; it is thickest at the commencement of 
 the wall, and gradually thins away into the finest imagin- 
 able film as it approaches the lower circumference of this 
 part. When wet it swells and softens, and on being dried 
 shrinks, sometimes cracks in its more dependent parts, or 
 becomes scaly. 
 
 " The fibres composing it are very fine and wavy, as in 
 the frog ; they likewise spring from villi which project 
 from the true skin immediately above the ' coronary cush- 
 ion.' 
 
 " The use of this band would to be twofold : it connects 
 the skin with the hoof, and thus makes the union of these 
 two dissimilar textures more complete, its intermediate 
 degree of density and its great elasticity admirably fitting 
 it for this office ; and it acts as a covering or protection to 
 the wall at its upper part, where this is only in process of 
 formation, and has not sufficient resistance to withstand 
 the effects of exposure to the weather. The greatest thick- 
 ness and density of the band correspond to the portion of 
 the wall in which the villi or vascular tufts are lodged, and 
 here the horn is soft, delicate, and readily acted upon in an 
 injurious manner, bj^ external influences. 
 
 " Thus far, then, we have rapidly glanced at the anat- 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 19 
 
 omy and uses of the various parts entering- into the com- 
 position of the horse's foot, and its horny box — the hoof. 
 It may be necessary, before we pass to the consideration of 
 the latter, as a whole, to allude to the structure and uses 
 of that narrow strip of horn, whose presence every farrier 
 or veterinary surg-eon is cognizant of, but whose character 
 and functions have been strangely left out of consider- 
 ation by all anatomists hitherto. I refer to the * white 
 line' or *zone,' the slender intermediate band that runs 
 around tlie margin of the sole, and connects that plate of 
 horn so closely to the wall as to make their union particu- 
 larly solid and complete. When preparing the border of 
 the hoof for the reception of the shoe, this part is easily 
 distinguished by its lig-hter color (in a dark hoof), and by 
 its being softer and more elastic than either the sole or 
 wall, between which it is situated. It would appear to 
 be secreted by the villi which terminate the lower end of 
 the vascular laminae, and the horny leaves of the wall are 
 also received into its substance — a circumstance that ren- 
 ders the junction of the two more thorough. I think there 
 can be no doubt that the principal use of this elastic rim of 
 horn placed in such a situation, is to obviate the dang-er of 
 fracture to which the inferior part of the hoof — particular- 
 ly the sole— would be liable, if the junction between the 
 hard and comparatively inelastic sole and wall was direct- 
 ly effected without the interposition of such a body. 
 
 *'It may be noted, that it is through this soft border of 
 horn that gravel and foreign matters usually find their 
 way to the sensitive parts of the foot, and there excite such 
 an amount of irritation as to lead to the formation of 
 
20 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 matter, and cause much pain and lameness; an accident 
 which the older farriers termed 'g-ravelling-.' 
 
 *'In viewing- the horse's hoof as a whole, and in the un- 
 shod state, we find that it presents several salient charac- 
 teristics, the consideration of which ought to dominate or 
 serve as a guide in framing rules for the observance of far- 
 riers in the practice of their art. The first of these is the 
 direction in which the wall grows in a health}^ condition. 
 
 " Viewed as it stands on a level surface, the hoof may 
 said to be somewhat conical in shape, its upper part being 
 a little less than its base ; and although, geometrically, its 
 shape may be described as the frustum of a cone, the base 
 and summit of which have been cut by two oblique planes 
 — the inferior converging abruptly behind toward the su- 
 perior — yet the circumference of the hoof does not offer that 
 regularity which this description might imph^ ; on the con- 
 tary, in a well-formed foot, we find that the outline of its 
 inferior or ground border is notably more salient on the 
 outer than the inner side, giving it that appearance which 
 has been designated the ' spread.' 
 
 *^ A cone being intersected by two planes oblique to its 
 axis, and not parallel to each other, gives a good idea, 
 nevertheless, of the obliquity which forms so marked a feat- 
 ure in the hoof. The degree of obliquity of the front part 
 or toe, and of the upper surface, varies with the amount of 
 growth ; but where this has been counterbalanced by a 
 proper degree of wear, it will be remarked that this obliqui- 
 ty corresponds to the inclination of the pastern-bones im- 
 mediatel}' above the hoof, when the horse is standing-. 
 
 "It will be obvious that this inclination also varies with 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 21 
 
 the breeding- of the animal, and the conformation of the 
 limbs ; so that no definite degree can be assigned. But it 
 must be pointed out, that giving the angle of 45°, as is 
 done in almost every treatise on shoeing and the anatomy 
 of the foot, is a grave error. Looked at in profile, a hoof 
 with this degree of obliquity would at once be pronounced 
 a deformity ^ and if the farrier were to attempt to bring 
 every foot he shod to this standard, he would inflict serious 
 injury, not only on the foot itself, but also on the back ten- 
 dons and the joints of the limbs. Careful measurement 
 will prove that the obliquity of the front of the hoof is 
 rarely, if ever, in a well-shaped leg or foot, above 50°, and 
 that it is, in the great majority of cases* nearer 5G°. The 
 sides or ' quarters' of the wall are less inclined — though the 
 outer is generally more so than the inner; while the heels 
 are still more vertical, and the inner may even incline 
 slightly inward. Viewed in profile, the posterior face of 
 the hoof will be observed to have the same degree of slope 
 as the front face. In height, the heels are usually a little 
 more than one-half that of the toe ; both heels are equal in 
 height. 
 
 ^* These features, as will be seen hereafter, are sufficient- 
 ly important to be constantly remembered. The other 
 characteristics are to be found on the lower or ground face 
 of the hoof — the most important, so far as the farrier's art 
 is concerned. 
 
 *^In a natural condition, the whole, or nearly the whole 
 of this face comes into contact with the ground, each part 
 participating more or less in sustaining the weight thrown 
 upon the limb. On soft or uneven soil, the entire lower 
 
22 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 border of the wall, the sole, bars, and frog", are subjected 
 to contact ; Nature intended them to meet the ground, and 
 there sustain the animal's weight, as well as the force of 
 its impelling powers. But on hard or rocky land with a 
 level surface, only the dense, tough crust and bars, the 
 thick portion of the sole surrounded by them, and the elas- 
 tic, retentive frog, meet the foi'ce of the weight and move- 
 ment ; and, in both cases, not only with impunity, but with 
 advantage to the interior of the foot, as well as the limb. 
 The horn on this face is, as has been said, dense, tough, 
 and springy to a degree var^' ing with the parts of which it 
 is composed; while its fibres are not only admirably dis- 
 posed to support weight, secure a firm grasp of the gTound 
 and aid the movements of the limbs, but are also an excel- 
 lent medium for modifying concussion or jar to the sensi- 
 tive and vascular structure in their vicinity. 
 
 *^ The whole circumference of the wall meets the ground, 
 and from the disposition of its fibres, the arrangement of 
 the cells which enter into their composition, and its rigid- 
 ity, it is admirably fitted to resist wear and sustain press- 
 ure. It projects more or less be3''ond the level of the sole, 
 and the space measured between the white zone within it 
 and its outer surface gives its exact thickness. This is a 
 fact not without interest to the farrier in the operation of 
 attaching the shoe by nails, as these have to be driven 
 only through this dense horn — which in g-ood hoofs cannot 
 be said to much exceed half an inch in thickness — and in 
 proportion to its thinness is the necessity for carefulness 
 and address on his part, in order to guard against wound- 
 ing or bruising' the sensitive textures. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE -SHOEING. 23 
 
 " The sole is more or less concave from its junction with 
 the wall; nevertheless, even on moderately firm ground, a 
 portion of its circumference, wiiich is generally the thick- 
 ness of the wall, takes a share in relieving- the latter of 
 pressure. This is also a fact to be borne in mind. In soft 
 g-round, the Avhole of its lower surface is made to aid in 
 sustaining the weight and prevent the foot sinking. But 
 it must be noted that the pressure of the lower face of the 
 pedal bone on the upper surface of the sole can never be 
 very great, else the sensitive membrane between them 
 w^ould be seriously injured. This injury is prevented by 
 the coronary, and, to a lesser extent, by the plantar cush- 
 ion, which largely retard the descent of the bone on the 
 floor of the horn}^ box. 
 
 "The frog, on both hard and soft ground, is an essential 
 portion of the weight-bearing face. In the unshod, healthy 
 foot it alwa3'S projects beyond the level of the sole, and sel- 
 dom below that of the wall at the heels; indeed, it is found, 
 in the majorit}^ of hoofs, either on a level with the circum- 
 ference of this part, or be^^ond it, so that its contact wath 
 the ground is assured. Hence its utility in obviating con- 
 cussion, supporting the tendons, and, on slippery ground, 
 in preventing falls. In pulling up a horse sharply in the 
 gallop, or in descending a steep hill, the frog, together with 
 the angular recess formed by the bar and wall at the heel 
 of the hoof, are eminently serviceable in checking the tend- 
 ency to slip; the animal instinctively^ plants the posterior 
 portions of the foot exclusively on the ground. 
 
 " Dark hoofs are generally the best ; they owe their color 
 to the presence of minute particles of black pigment, which 
 
24 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 Fig. 9. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 25 
 
 colli. j'ns a notable proportion of iron, and are somewhat 
 resisting- and indestructible. 
 
 *^ A good hoof should have the wall unbroken, its outer 
 face smooth and even ; the angle at the front not less than 
 50° — the lower or ground face of the front hoof should be 
 nearly circular in outline— the sole slightly concave at the 
 circumference, deeper at the centre; the border of the w^all 
 ought to be thick at the toe, gradually thinning toward 
 the heels, but at the inflexion or commencement of the bar 
 a strong mass of horn should be found ; the bars should be 
 free from fracture, and the frog moderately developed, firm 
 and solid. 
 
 " The hind foot should possess the same soundness of 
 horn, though it differs from the fore hoof in being- more 
 oval in outline from the toe to the heels ; the sole is also 
 more concave, the frog- smaller, and the heels not so high. 
 The horn is usually less hard and resisting — a circum- 
 stance perhaps due to the hind feet being more frequently 
 exposed to humidity in the stable than the fore ones." 
 
 VIEW OF THE BONES OF THE FOOT. 
 
 Fig. 9 shows a foot from which the skin and flesh have 
 been taken and gives a view of the exact location of the 
 bones. A, represents the upper pastern ; B, the lower past- 
 ern ; and (7, the coffin-bone. 
 
 Now in order that all tlie bones and joints should work 
 properly it is necessary to keep the foot at an angle of about 
 50 to 56 degrees. If we get the heel too high it is just as 
 bad as it is to get it too low. Therefore particular pains 
 
26 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 Fig. 10. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 27 
 
 should be taken in leveling" the foot in all cases so as not to 
 allow the horse to rock one way or the other. 
 
 SECTIONAL VIEW OF FOOT AND LEG. 
 
 Fig". 10 represents a sectional view of the foot and a por- 
 tion of the leg- of a horse. A, shows the cannon-bone at the 
 fetlock joint ; J5, is the upper pastern ; while (7, is the coro- 
 nary or lower pastern bone ; D, is the coffin-bone ; E, the 
 navicular or nut bone ; F, represents one of the sesamoid 
 bones ; G, the sensitive frog ; H, the sensitive sole ; 7, the 
 honw sole ; J, the outside crust or wall ; K, the sensitive 
 laminge ; L, the main cord or tendon that runs up and down 
 the back of the leg ; il/, show^s the tendon of the extensor 
 muscle of the foot and coronar^^ bones. It can be readily 
 seen by a careful examination of this illustration that it 
 is absoluteh' necessary to keep the foot at a cei'tain angle 
 or slant, somewhere between 50 and 56 degrees, in order 
 that the joints ma^' perform their offices properlj' . 
 
 DISSECTED LEG OF A HORSE. 
 
 Fig. 11 shows a foot and portion of the leg dissected, all 
 the hair and flesh being removed so as to show the tendons, 
 arteries and blood vessels. M, is the main cord or tendon 
 that runs up and down the back of the leg; N, is the ex- 
 tensor muscle of the foot ; O, shows the lateral cartilages, 
 while P represents the plantar nerve. The lower il/ shows 
 the sensitive laminae, Avhile L represents the outside crust 
 or wall. 
 
28 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 Fig. 11. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEINa. '29 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 HOW THE HOOF GROWS. 
 
 In any treatise on shoeing*, the grotvth of the hoof can- 
 not be left out of consideration, as on it the foot, in an un- 
 shod condition, depends for an efficient protection, while 
 without this process the farrier's art w^ould quickly be of 
 no avail. 
 
 In its unarmed state, the hoof being" exposed to contin- 
 ual wear on its lower surface, from contact with the 
 ground on which the animal stands or moves, is unceasing- 
 ly regenerated by the living tissues within. We have al- 
 ready referred to the special apparatus which is more im- 
 mediately concerned in this work of regeneration, and 
 pointed out that the wall with the laminae on its inner 
 face * is formed from the coronary cushion at the upper 
 part of the foot ; the sole from the living membrane cover- 
 ing the lower face of the pedal bone ; and the frog from the 
 plantar cushion. It has been also mentioned that this 
 dead horny envelop, instead of being merely in juxtaposi- 
 tion with this exquisitely sensitive secretory membrane, is 
 ever^^where penetrated to a certain depth on its inner face 
 
 * It is generally stated that the horny leaves are formed by the sensi- 
 tive ones, with which they are in such close nnion. That this is an 
 error, the microscope, physiology, and pathological experience, 
 abundantly testify. 
 
80 ARTISTIC HORSE- SHOEING. 
 
 (with the exception of the portion of the wall covered with 
 the horny leaves) by multitudes of minute processes named 
 villi, which are not only concerned in the growth of the 
 horn-fibres, acting- as moulds for them, and endowing the 
 hoof with that degree of lightness, elasticity, and tough- 
 ness, which are so necessary to its efficiency, but also make 
 this insensitive case a most useful organ of touch. 
 
 The growth of the horn takes place by the deposition 
 of new material from the secreting surface ; this deposi- 
 tion is effected at the commencement or root of the fibres ; 
 where the horn is yet soft, and its incessant operation 
 causes these fibres to be mechanically extended or pushed 
 downward tow^ard the ground in a mass. Once formed 
 they are submitted to no other change than that of becom- 
 ing denser, harder, less elastic, and drier, as they recede 
 farther from the surface from which they originated. 
 
 So regulated is this growth, generally, in every part of 
 the hoof, that it would appear that the secreting mem- 
 brane is endowed with an equal activity throughout. 
 
 But, though this equality in the amount of horn secreted 
 over so wide a sui^face is an undoubted fact, yet it must 
 not be forgotten that, under the influence of certain condi- 
 tions, the growth or descent of the corneous material may 
 be effected in an irregular manner, either through a partic- 
 ular portion of the secretory apparatus assuming a more 
 energetic activity, or being* hindered more or less in its 
 function. 
 
 For instance, the way in which the foot is planted on the 
 ground has a most marked influence, not only on the amount 
 of horn secreted, but also on that subjected to wear. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE- SHOEING. 31 
 
 When the superincumbent weig-ht is equally distributed 
 over the lower face of the hoof, the foot may be said to be 
 properly placed as a basis of support to the limb. But 
 when, through mismanagement or defective form, this base 
 is uneven — one side higher than the other, for example — 
 the weight must fall on the lowest part to a greater degree 
 than the highest ; thus causing not only disturbance in the 
 direction of the limb and its movements, but considerably 
 modifying the growth of the horn. This growth is dimin- 
 ished at the part subjected to most pressure — in all pro- 
 bability from the smaller quantity of blood allowed to be 
 circulated through the secretory surface ; while to the side 
 which is subjected to the least compression, the blood is 
 abundantl}^ supplied, and the formation of the horn is con- 
 sequently augmented. This is a fact of much importance 
 and practical interest in farriery, as it demonstrates that 
 any irregularity in the distribution of the weight of the 
 bod}'' has a prejudicial effect on the secreting apparatus of 
 the organ, and, as a result, on the form of the hoof. 
 
 When the weight is evenly imposed on the foot, this 
 apparatus, being uniformly compressed throughout its ex- 
 tent, receives everywhere an equal quantity of the horn- 
 producing material. 
 
 It is the same with the ivear of the hoof. A just dis- 
 position of the weight is a necessary condition of the regu- 
 larity of wear. While the animal is standing on unshod 
 hoofs, the wear of horn is slight ; it is in movement that it 
 becomes increased, and this increase is generally in pro- 
 portion to the speed, the weight carried, nature of the 
 ground, and whether its surface be wet or dry. Each por- 
 
32 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOETXG. 
 
 tion of the lower face of the hoof — wall, sole, bar, and frog 
 — should take its share of wear and strain ; but it will be 
 readily understood that this cannot be properly effected if 
 the weig"ht is thrown more upon one side than the other; 
 that part which receives the largest share will be subjected 
 to the g'reatest amount of loss from wear, and this, with 
 the diminished secretion of horn, will tend to distort the 
 foot and limb still more. 
 
 In a well-formed leg- and foot the degrees ot resistance 
 of the different parts of the hoof are so well apportioned to 
 the amount of wear to be sustained, that all are equally re- 
 duced by contact with the ground, and the whole is main- 
 tained in a perfect condition as regards growth and wear. 
 
 The amount of growth, even in a well-proportioned 
 foot, varies considerably^ in different animals, according to 
 the activity prevailing in, or the development of, the secret- 
 ing apparatus ; and in this respect the operations of the 
 farrier, as we will notice hereafter, are not without much 
 influence. 
 
 It may be laid down as a rule, that the horn grows 
 more rapidly in warm dry climates, than in cold wet ones ; 
 in healthy energetic animals, than in those which are soft 
 and weakly ; during exercise, than in repose ; in young, 
 than in old animals. Food, labor and shoeing, also add 
 their influence ; while the seasons are to some extent con- 
 cerned in the growth and shape of the hoof. In winter 
 it widens, becomes softer, and grows but little ; in sum- 
 mer it is condensed, becomes more rigid, concave, and 
 resisting, is exposed to sevei-er wear, and grows more 
 rapidly ; this variation is a provision of Nature to enable 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEiKG. 33 
 
 the hoof to adapt itself to the altered conditions it has 
 to meet : hard horn to hard ground, soft horn to soft 
 g-round. 
 
 ' In this way Ave can account for the influence of local it\^ 
 upon the shape of the foot. On hard, dry ground, the hoof 
 is dense, tenacious, and small, with concave sole, and a 
 little but firm frog ; in marshy regions, it is large and 
 spreading, the horn soft and easily destroyed by wear, the 
 sole thin and flat, and the frog an immense spongy mass 
 which is badlj' fitted to receive pressure from slightly 
 hardened soil. In a dr}^ climate, we have an animal small, 
 compact, wiry, and vigorous, traveling on a surface which 
 demands a tenacious hoof, and not one adapted to prevent 
 sinking ; in the marsh}^ region we have a large, heavy, 
 lymphatic creature, one of whose primary requirements 
 is a foot designed to ti'avel on a soft yielding surface. 
 Change the respective situations of these two horses, and 
 Nature immediately begins to transform them and their 
 feet. The light, excitable, vigorous horse, with its small 
 vertical hoofs and concave soles, so admirably disposed to 
 traverse rocky and slippery surfaces, is physically' incom- 
 
 ■ petent to exist on low-ljing swamps ; while the unwiekl v 
 animal, slow-paced and torpid, with a foot perfectly adapt- 
 ed to such a region — its ground face being so extensive and 
 flat that it sinks but little, and the frog developed to such 
 a degree as to resemble a ploughshare in form, which gives 
 it a grip of the soft, slippery ground— is but indifferently 
 suited for traveling on a hard, rugged surface. In pro- 
 cess of time, however, the small concave hoof expands and 
 flattens, and the large flat one gradually becomes conceu- 
 
84 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 trated, hardened, and hollow, to suit the altered ph3^sical 
 conditions in which they are placed. 
 
 The degree of health possessed by the horn-secreting 
 apparatus at any time has also much to do with its activity 
 in generating- new material. When its blood-vessels be- 
 come congested or contracted from some cause or other, 
 its function is in a proportionate degree suspended, and the 
 hoof grows in an irregular manner, and may be altered in 
 thickness, texture, and quality. 
 
 In the ordinary conditions of town work and stable 
 management, I have observed that the wall of a healthy 
 foot — its chief portion, so far as farriery is concerned — 
 grows down from the coronet at the rate of about one- 
 quarter of an inch per month, and that the entire wall of a 
 medium-sized hoof has been regenerated in from nine to 
 twelve meonths. 
 
 The pi^ocess of growth can be greatl}^ accelerated and 
 exaggerated by irritating the surface which throws out the 
 horn material. Thus a blister, hot iron, or any other 
 irritant or stimulant applied to this part, Avill induce not 
 only a more rapid formation, but one in which increased 
 thickness is a marked feature. 
 
ARTISTIC HOKSE-SHOEING. 35 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 HORSE-SHOEIXG TO PREVENT OR CURE LAMENESS OR CORRECT 
 FAULTY ACTION. 
 
 LEVELING PLATE. 
 
 Every horse-shoer oug-ht to have a leveling* plate. I use 
 a piece of marble sa^^ twelve inches square and two inches 
 thick. After the shoe has been fitted to the foot I then heat 
 it. By gently hammering" it on the marble slab I make it 
 perfectly level. A great many heat the shoe hot and then 
 hy applying- it to the foot it is easj^ to see exactly which 
 portion of the hoof needs to come off. I never put a hot 
 shoe near the foot. After the shoe is made level on the 
 marble slab I then make the foot level to correspond. 
 
 FORGING. 
 
 This is a very bad habit. A horse thatforg-es continually 
 is not regarded as very valuable. It is not particularly 
 troublesome to overcome this habit. There are many dif- 
 ferent ideas on the subject, however. I have had horsemen 
 come into my shop and say to me, ''If you put the front 
 shoes on too long- the horse will pull them off." I know of 
 a good man3^ horses that I have ruined, before I learned any 
 better, by putting the shoes on too short. When too short 
 in the first place they become still shorter of course after llie 
 shoes are reset. Now does it look reasonable that we ought 
 
86 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 to cripple our horses in their front feet by short shoes in 
 order to keep the hind feet from striking ? Let us try to 
 find out wliat forging- is anyhow. It is simply that the 
 horse has more action behind than in front. The hind feet 
 are thrown forward and strike the front feet before they 
 can get out of the way. Obviously the only way to over- 
 come this trouble is to increase the action of the horse in 
 front and retard it behind. To do this I use a heavy toe- 
 weight shoe on the front foot to make the horse reach 
 farther. After the front shoe has been nailed on, take a 
 rule and measure the distance from the coronet to the 
 bottom part of the toe. Also observe the slant of the front 
 foot. Then measure the hind foot the same way and it will 
 be found in most cases that the hind foot is from ^ to 1 
 inch the shortest. The shorter the foot the quicker it can 
 be raised of course. Now I place my shoe on the hind foot 
 so that the toe will project enough to make the distance 
 from the coronet to the bottom of the shoe the same as tlie 
 distance from the coronet to the bottom of the shoe on the 
 front foot. The longer the hind foot is the longer time it 
 takes for the horse to raise it in traveling. To set the 
 shoe back on the hind foot onl^^ makes the horse forge 
 all the moi'e, for he is able to get his hind foot up much 
 quicker than his front foot. Then if you let the shoe 
 extend out pretty well behind and make the projecting 
 portion pretty heavy it will tend to delay the action of the 
 feet behind and prevent the horse raising his feet so higli, 
 and if he does not raise his feet so lugli he will not of 
 course throw them so far forward and your object is 
 accomplished. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEINa. 37 
 
 TO SHOE A KNEE-SPRUNG HORSE OR A KNUCKLER. 
 
 The difficulties above mentioned are broiig"ht on by using* 
 too sliort shoes. They ma^^ also be produced in other 
 ways. I think many horse owners contribute to bring* 
 about these troubles by permitting the shoes to remain on 
 too long. Some people will never get a horse shod until 
 the shoes drop off, on account of the expense. It thus 
 happens that in many cases the shoes remain on the feet, 
 six, eight or twelve weeks. Of course the foot grows out 
 long and in climbing over this long toe with a large toe- 
 calk on the shoe the horse strains the cords and tendons of 
 the leg and when 3^ou stop him he will '^ go over a little " 
 as it is termed. A horse does this to ease the strain on the 
 cords of his leg and he will keep doing it more and more as 
 long as the trouble exists. After a while the cords con- 
 tract, and, failing to resume their natural position the 
 horse is knee-sprung or knuckled. It is very hard to cure 
 a knee-sprung horse, but they can be helped very much. I 
 dress the foot perfectly level as in all other cases and make 
 a good long shoe, one that will run out behind the foot say 
 one or two inches. Put on a small heel-calk with no 
 toe-calks. Nearly all horse owners when the}^ think a 
 horse's legs are strained use some strong liniment or a 
 blister. In all cases of this sort there is a great deal 
 of fever in the legs ard we want to take out the fever, 
 not put on something- that will create more. Further 
 along in this work a recipe Avill be found for a prepara- 
 tion for sprains, soreness of the tendons or any enlarge- 
 jnent of the leg", 
 
38 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 FITTING THE SHOE TO THE FOOT. 
 
 This is one of the most important points in horse-shoeing. 
 In traveling- about giving instruction to all classes of 
 people, I have found a great man}^ so-called horse-shoers 
 who had not worked at the ti-ade more than six months 
 perhaps. Often as quick as a man gets so that he can 
 dress a foot or fit up a shoe he calls himself a good horse- 
 shoer and will start a shop. In order to secure work it is 
 necessary for such a man to put prices down very low. In 
 my experience I have found that tAvo-thirds of the crippled 
 horses have been made so by just such horse-shoers as I 
 have described above. I call them horse-shoers for con- 
 venience only. Some of them will never be horse-shoers. 
 Nevertheless they think when they put a shoe on, it is as 
 good work as anybod^^ can do, and usually such men are 
 very much averse to learning how to shoe. I commenced 
 helping my father at the forge when only eleven 3^ears old 
 and have worked at the trade ever since, and I think it safe 
 to say that I shod horses fully twenty years before I really 
 knew an^^thing about it. Now somebod^^ will ask, how it is 
 possible that you could work so long without knowing 
 anything about horse-shoing\ It is simply because I knew 
 it all in the first place. I knew so much that I did not 
 want to be told anything, and so went on year after year 
 in the same old rut doing more harm than good all the 
 time. 
 
 After I had been compelled to pay for three valuable 
 horses I spoilt by bad shoeing, it occurred to me I did not 
 know as much as I thought I did. Then I invested every 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 39 
 
 dollar I was worth and made an effort to learn how to shoe 
 horses. I sought the best instructors I could hear of and 
 found out that I had been all wrong* in what I had been 
 doing. 
 
 No man should be permitted to shoe a horse who has not 
 passed an examination by a competent board appointed for 
 the purpose. He should be compelled to study the horse's 
 foot and understand it before being permitted to set a shoe. 
 
 A great man^^ horse owners ruin their horses b}^ taking 
 them to men who know nothing whatever about the 
 anatomy of the foot. The main idea of the average horse 
 owner seems to be to seek out and patronize the man who 
 will shoe the cheapest and make the shoes stay the longest, 
 and they don't hesitate to call such a man a good horse- 
 shoer. Very few probably know that a valuable horse 
 may be completely ruined by an incompetent man in two 
 or three shoeings. Some horses will stand poor shoeing 
 for quite a while, but in the end they are sure to be injured. 
 
 "Ko frog, no foot; no foot, no horse," is a true saying. 
 I claim that no horse should go over four weeks without 
 having the shoes removed and the dry feverish growth of 
 the hoof rasped away; that portion that Avould wear out 
 naturally if the horse was not shod at all. 
 
 GETTING THE ANGLE OF THE FOOT. 
 
 When I have a horse to shoe I try and ascertain the cor- 
 rect angle of the foot to start with. Then dress the foot 
 perfectly level in all cases, aiming not to have one side an^^ 
 higher than the other. T do not cut away the bars or 
 braces as I did in the days gone by, neither do I cut the 
 
40 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 frog-, which is the natural cushion of the foot, taking" off the 
 the concussion caused by the striking of the foot on the 
 ground. In the natural state the frog is shed every three 
 months and should not be cut at all. If cut the pores will 
 open and the natural moisture is permitted to dry out and 
 the frog becomes hard. Cutting the frog- will injure the 
 growth of the foot materially. I never touch the frog 
 except to cut off the ragged edges as they are being shed. 
 The nearer the frog can come to the ground the better. 
 
 When large calks are used and the foot raised from the 
 ground all the bearing on the frog is removed, causing the 
 foot to draw up, the heels to draw in, and in a short time 
 you have a bad case of contraction on hand. 
 
 In taveling about I have a wagon that with its contents 
 w^eighs not less than 4,800 lbs., and this is pulled over hills 
 and the roughest country roads without any calks on the 
 front feet of my horses. The front feet of a horse act very 
 much as the forward trucks of a locomotive. They carry 
 about two-thirds of a horse's weight. The hind feet and 
 legs are the propelling power which tlirows the animal 
 forward when in motion. 
 
 If calks are desired they should be put on the hind feet. 
 I never put on a hind shoe without a little heel calk. It 
 helps take the strain off the tendons. If a flat" shoe is used 
 in front it can be made shorter when calked. If flat let the 
 shoe extend back as far as the crust of the hoof. When 
 the shoe is flat it permits the frog- to come to the g-round 
 and all the cords and tendons of the leg are receiving their 
 proper support. If Ave put on calks and take the frog* 
 away from the ground it will be necessary to make the shoe 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 41 
 
 at least from one-half to one inch long-er. If this is not 
 done the horse will have a tendency to rock back and then 
 this causes knee springing- or knuckling-. 
 
 Short shoes ai-e a great mistake in shoeing horses with 
 calks. 
 
 BAR SHOE. 
 
 Fig. 12 shows a bar shoe which is the nearest approach to 
 
 Fig. 12.— Bar Shoe. 
 
 nature in my opinion that we can get. When no shoes are 
 used the weight of the animal comes largely on the frog 
 which^ as is well known, acts as a sort of cusluon to relieve 
 the pressure on the foot. When a bar shoe is used in shoe- 
 ing, the bar presses on the frog and we get practically the 
 
42 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 same effect as though the horse were traveling- without 
 shoes. 
 
 I suppose that I had shod horses for twenty years, more 
 or less, before I knew why bar shoes were necessar3^ Of 
 course when a man makes and applies a shoe which he does 
 not know the use of, he naturally is liable to many faults in 
 construction. Some people condemn bar shoes but it is be- 
 cause they do not know their uses, or how to make them, or 
 how to put them on. 
 
 A man must know in the first place that the horse 
 brought to him to be shod need's a bar shoe. He must un- 
 derstand the exact condition that the foot is in and what 
 sort of a bar shoe is best for that particular condition. 
 Sometimes w^e find horses with soft frogs and in other cases 
 they have hard frogs. Now formerly I did not know but I 
 could put on a bar shoe as Avell Avith a hard frog as with a 
 soft frog. Right here let me explain the secret of success 
 with bar shoes. If the frog is soft so that you can move it 
 easily with your hands it will bear all the pressure which 
 you can get from the bar shoe, but if it is dried up and hard 
 it will not do to apply a bar shoe until some measures have 
 been taken to soften the f i*og, otherwise the pressure on the 
 hard frog will be so strong as to push the frog up into the 
 sensitive portion of the foot and lame the horse. Of course 
 the object of a bar shoe in all cases is to remove the bearing 
 from the heels where there is tenderness arising either from 
 corns or from hard pounding on pavements or liard roads. 
 
 In cases where the frog is hard it can be softened by soak- 
 ing the feet for a time in warm water and applying wai-m 
 flaxseed meal poultices at night until the foot is brought 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 43 
 
 into its proper condition. I use this particular shoe for 
 all bad cases of contraction or Avhere, as some shoers term 
 it, the foot is hoof hound. I rasp the points of the heels down 
 so that when the shoe is on there is a little space between the 
 heels and the shoe, the pressure of the bar coming- on the 
 frog-. When the horse steps the weight comes on the bar, 
 the bar presses on the frog and the frog will settle enough 
 to let the heels down easily upon the shoe. Under these 
 circumstances of course the heel will naturallj^ expand more 
 or less and the contraction after a time be relieved. 
 
 I am not in favor of artificial spreaders of any kind. I 
 believe the frog to be the best spreader in the world. 
 
 No clip is used whatever and in fact I have not put a clip 
 on any shoe in the last six years. Man^^ shoers seem to 
 think they cannot get along without using side clips and toe 
 clips. Wherever a clip is used it is necessar^^, of course, to 
 cut through the outside wall. The clip rests on the sensi- 
 tive laxnin^e and ever^^ time a horse strikes anything" hard 
 there is irritation of the blood vessels, arteries and nerves. 
 If we dress the foot perfectly level, fitting the shoes cold 
 and using a good nail there is no trouble in making them 
 stay on longer in fact than they ought to stay. 
 
 No horse should keep shoes on over four or five weeks at 
 the outside without having them removed and the dry fe- 
 verish overgrowth cut awaj^ 
 
 TOE TIPS. 
 
 Fig. 13 represents a toe tip. This form of shoe comes 
 the nearest to nature of any one made. By its use it will 
 be seen that the quarters and frog come in contact with the 
 
44 
 
 AKTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 i^round. I claim that the frog is the best spreader of the 
 foot in the world. I never use an 3^ artificial spreader de- 
 pending- entirely on the frog to do the business. In all bad 
 cases of contraction either use the toe tip, the bar, or the 
 double half -bar, and let the frog come in contact with the 
 ground. This shoe should be made of f-inch steel and as 
 thick towards the quarters as towards the toe. Be sure 
 
 Fig. 13.— Toe Tip. 
 
 and fit it to the foot. After it is fitted, mark just as far 
 back as it goes and notch in the hoof and set the tip in. By 
 this means the toe is kept down to the same level as the 
 heels and quarters. By slanting the tip towards the heels 
 the toe is raised too high and lets the horse rock too far 
 back, straining the main cords and tendons and in a short 
 time the horse will be knee-sprung. 
 
 . I have used this toe tip right on the pavements in the 
 cities of Scranton, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Binghamton,New 
 York City, and in other places two numerous to mention, 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE- SHOEING. 4:5 
 
 with the most satisfactory^ results. Some horses will not 
 stand it, hut others will. 
 
 HALF-BAR SHOE FOR THE FRONT FOOT. 
 
 Fig. 14 represents a half-har shoe. This shoe can be made 
 from machine-made shoes sometimes, hut generally I turn 
 
 Fig. 14— Half-Bar Shoe. 
 
 m^^ own shoes. A, shows the point where the hend should 
 be made to form the half-har. Shape the shoe so that the 
 half-har will press on one-half of the frog. In cases where 
 one quarter is broken down or wired in, this shoe can be 
 set to very great advantage. The other side of the shoe of 
 course should be shaped in the usual Avay. 
 
 In cases of bad quarter crack where the trouble is all on 
 one side I use this shoe. I also use it for bad cases of corns. 
 
46 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 In shoeing" either for quarter cracks or corns I do not let 
 the quarters touch the shoe. When the quarter grows out 
 or the shoe has pressed down so that the quarter touches, 
 the shoe should be removed and a sufRcient amount of hoof 
 removed to keep the shoe from touching the quarter. Any 
 
 Fig. 15.— Toe- Weight Shoe. 
 
 quarter, crack or corn, can be removed if the pressure is 
 kept on the frog and away from the seat of disturbance. 
 
 TOE- WEIGHT SHOES. 
 
 Fig. 15 represents a shoe Avith a toe-weight. It is made 
 out of heavy iron, say one inch or one-and-a-quarter inches 
 by one-and-a-half inches. Fuller at A to the thickness 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 47 
 
 you want, then draw out the heels as lig-ht as j^ou wish 
 them to be. 
 
 I prefer this shoe to any toe-weight placed on the foot, 
 and I believe that the action of any horse can be increased 
 with this shoe, and the horse can be balanced quicker and 
 easier than by the toe-weights on the top of the foot. 
 
 Fig. 16.— Toe-Weight Shoe (Concaved). 
 
 Some liorse men object to having a horse carry the 
 weight in the shoe. Now reason will tell 3^ou if a horse 
 carries the weight continually he will get used to it and it 
 will not tire him or strain the cords of his legs ; but if we 
 give the horse all his work to do with light shoes and when 
 we come to speed him, put on extra weights on the top of 
 
48 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEINa. 
 
 the foot he msij be able to go, say, a half mile all rig-ht, but 
 in trotting- a full mile is liable to strain the cords of his legs, 
 because his muscle has not been cultivated up to the point 
 of carrying this extra weight successfully. 
 
 I consider this the best shoe ever made to balance the 
 action of pacers. By this I mean, if you want a pacer to 
 trot use this form of a toe-weight with a side- weight behind. 
 By shoeing in this way I can convert an}^ pacer into a 
 trotter when it is thought desirable to do so. In many 
 cases heavy horses that pace can be made to trot faster 
 than they can pace. With light horses it often happens 
 that they can pace faster than they can trot, so that it is 
 not always desirable to chang-e their action. 
 
 Fig. 16 is a toe- weight shoe concaved on the g-round sur- 
 face, the object being to prevent the horse from throwing" 
 g-ravel in the ej^es of the driver. 
 
 SHOE TO PREVENT INTERFERING. 
 
 Fig. 17 represents a front foot shoe for interfering horses. 
 There is no question in regard to stopping- any interfering- 
 horse with this shoe. The main secret in overcoming inter- 
 ference is to get a direct side weight. All the weight that 
 passes the point of the frog on the other side deadens the 
 weight we have on the outside and tends to overcome the 
 attemptto produce a side-weight shoe. This point should 
 be carefully remembered. 
 
 In making this shoe I take say, ten inches of iron for the 
 shoe and bring it out of the fire with one-half of it hot. I 
 use my fuller just half Avay, fullering- down as thin as I 
 want it. Then with the hammer draw the inside web out, 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 49 
 
 next bend the toe one-half and then g-o back to the heavy 
 side, finish, fuller, crease it and punch the holes. After 
 this return to the light side of the shoe and finish that. 
 This g-ives a direct side weight to the front foot. 
 With front foot shoes it is necessary to increase the web 
 
 Fia. 17.— Front Shoe for Interfering. 
 
 on the inside because we must have a wider w^b on the 
 inside than we do with hind foot shoes. 
 
 There is no guess w^ork in regard to this shoe if you only 
 get weight enough. If you use one of these shoes and it 
 fails to prevent interfering all 3^ou have to do is to increase 
 the weiglit of the web until you get enough to overbalance 
 the foot and accomplish your purpose. 
 
 Incase a horse swing's and travels too Avide in front I use 
 
50 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 the same style of shoe, but put the weight on the inside. In 
 all cases of ordinary interfering- the Aveight should be put on 
 the outside of the foot, with the exception of the shoe de- 
 scribed in Fig. 19. 
 
 HIND SHOE FOR INTERFERING. 
 
 Fig. 18 shows a hind shoe for interfering or widening the 
 action of a horse when it is inclined to rock or shuffle. 
 
 Fig. 18.— Hind Shoe for Interfering. 
 
 I use this shoe in all cases of interfering. 
 
 Be particular not to permit the side weight to run around 
 the point of the frog. If you try the slioes made in this way 
 and they do not seem to accomplish the purpose desired, 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 51 
 
 increase the weight and keep on increasing- until the action 
 desired is secured. 
 
 If the horse hitches or runs behind (sometimes called 
 single footing) use this shoe. If you get weight enough 
 you Avill stop him. It requires weight to balance any horse, 
 and when you get weight enough you will balance him. 
 
 Fig. 19. ~Sn)E- Weight Shoe. 
 SIDE-WEIGHT SHOE. 
 
 Fig. 19 represents a side- weight shoe to be used in all 
 cases where horses have had a knee or ankle broken and 
 the legs bend in. Tlien the weight should be put on the in- 
 side on the crooked leg. This tends to throw the foot 
 inward and conseq^uently to straighten the knee, 
 
52 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 On the sound leg" I put the weight on the outside in all 
 cases. This shoe I have used with good results a great 
 many different times. 
 
 SHOE FOR KNEE-KNOCKING. 
 
 Fis". 20 shows a shoe with an outside weig-ht extended 
 
 Fig. 20.— Shoe for Knee-Knocking. 
 
 around one-half of the foot. This shoe I use in bad cases of 
 knee-knocking. The illustration shows the ground surface 
 of the shoe made for the right fi'ont foot. As the horse 
 swings out and strikes this outside weiglit the foot natur- 
 ally has a tendency to strike on the inside of the toe^ whicl; 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE -SHOEING. 63 
 
 it will be seen is not creased and has no nail holes. The 
 effect of this shoe is to make the horse carry his feet out- 
 ward and awa}^ from the other foot, preventing the knock- 
 ing- of the knees together. 
 
 Make a little crease on the inside of the heel and use three 
 nails, as showai in Fig. 20. 
 
 Fig. 21.— Sn)E- Weight and Bar Combined. 
 
 The dotted lines show the position of the foot. All that 
 portion of the shoe outside the dotted lines of course will be 
 entirely outside of the foot. 
 
 I made the first one of these shoes that was ever made, 
 and have corrected more than one hundred cases of knee- 
 knocking horses. I have sliod horses in twenty-one differ- 
 
5i ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 ent States and three Territories and never saw such a shoe 
 until I made it. 
 This shoe can be used with perfect safety. 
 
 COMBINED SIDE-WEIGHT AND BAR. 
 
 Fig". 21 represents a side-weight and a bar combined. In 
 
 Fig. 22.— Four-Calk Shoe. 
 
 case 3^our horse needs a bar shoe and you want to use a 
 side-weight to widen his action or to stop him from inter- 
 fering", this shoe will accomplish the purpose, but be care- 
 ful and not let the side weight pass the front of the frog. 
 Keep the most of the weight on one side of the shoe and get 
 it on exactly opposite where the horse hits. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE -SHOEING. 55 
 
 You will never fail to correct a case of interfering" with 
 this shoe if you only have weight enough. 
 
 FOUR-CALK SHOE FOR RING-BONES, SPAVINS, ETC. 
 
 Fig. 22 shows a four-calk shoe to be used on horses 
 having ring-bones, curbs, spavins or sore tendons. In fact 
 this shoe may be used with almost an^^ horse that is lame 
 and for whom it is painful to travel with a high toe-calk. 
 With the four-calk shoe the horse has a level foundation 
 and equal bearing, and when he picks up his foot he has no 
 toe-calk to climb over, he simply rolls over the front calk 
 as it were. 
 
 A horse with ring-bones, curbs or spavins will hardly 
 limp with. this style of shoe, where he can scarcely hobble 
 along on an ordinary three-calk shoe. 
 
 In all cases where an^^thing is the matter with a horse's 
 foot I raise the heel more than I do the toe and oftentimes 
 no toe-calk at all is a great deal better. 
 
 The closer we keep the foot to the ground the better it is 
 in all cases. 
 
 IMPROVED SHOE FOR TENDER FEET. 
 
 Fig. 23. Mr. Wm. H. Russell, the author of ^^ Scientific 
 Horse-Shoeing," first constructed and used this shoe. His 
 description of it is as follows: '-'This shoe is made of steel 
 and is well concaved on the ground surface. The bars are 
 made so as to fit upon the bars of the foot and bear Aveight 
 as the unshod hoof does in a state of nature, preventing 
 bruises in the heels and quarter cracks. I have tested this 
 
56 ARTISTIC HORSE- SHOEINa. 
 
 shoe on horses that were quite sore and lame, successfully. 
 In making- this shoe the bars are sprung- down from the 
 heel to their points on the ground surface about one-half 
 inch. The effect of this is to soften and mellow the jar. If 
 the shoe is well tempered it will allow the bars to spring with 
 the horse's weight, and Avill be found one of the best devices 
 
 Fig. 23.— Shoe for Tender Feet. 
 
 possible to relieve the effects of concussion in tender-footed 
 horses as well as to quicken the action in trotters, leaving 
 the frog firm and unimpaired to perform its important 
 functions of cushioning the foot and shielding- the sensitive 
 parts from injury." 
 
 EXTENSION CALK SHOE. 
 
 Fig. 24 shows a three-calk shoe with an extension toe at 
 4. If the horse is inclined to pull his load from one out- 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 57 
 
 side point of his toe, let the toe calk extend over as at A. 
 Then when the calk strikes at A it is necessar^^ for the ani- 
 mal to settle square down on his feet and go directly over 
 at the toe. 
 In the case of a great many horses the outside quarters 
 
 Fig. 24.— Extension Calk Shoe. 
 
 and calk will wear off while the inside will wear very lit- 
 tle. 
 
 By the use of this kind of a shoe all this is prevented and 
 the horse must travel i)erfectly square, Avhether he is a 
 heavy draught horse or a light road horse, 
 
58 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 FRONT FOOT FLAT SHOE. 
 
 Fig. 25 represents a flat front shoe made out of inch by 
 half-inch iron. Crease all around the toe. 
 
 This shoe is made perfectly flat on the ground surface 
 
 Fig. 25.— Front Foot Flat Shoe. 
 
 and is as good a shoe as can be used on front feet. The 
 nearer we keep the feet to the ground the better. 
 
 Fig. 2G represents the foot surface of the shoe shown in 
 Fig. 25, and also gives a clear idea of the concavity of this 
 side of the shoe, 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 59 
 
60 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 CONCAVE SHOE. 
 
 Fig". 27 represents a common front shoe concaved so as to 
 prevent picking- up g-ravel. The shoe is made from one 
 inch by one-half inch iron, or you can use any weig-ht of 
 
 Fig. 28.— Shoe to Make a Horse Travel Square. 
 
 iron that ma^^ be needed. If the horse is quick of action 
 the use of this shoe will prevent his throwing" g-ravel into 
 the face of the driver. It is also a good shoe to prevent 
 the balling of snow in winter, as snow cannot stick to it 
 very well. 
 
 SHOE TO MAKE A HORSE TRAVEL SQUARE. 
 
 Fig. 28 represents a shoe designed to make any horse 
 travel square. Some horses travel all on one side and one 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 ei 
 
 side of the foot does not seem to grow because the animal 
 strikes so hard on that side that it kills the growth of the 
 horn. In applying this shoe first level the foot, of course 
 as near as possible. Then measure the slant of the foot 
 that goes the fastest, afterwards measure the slant of the 
 
 Fig. 29,— Shoe with Plate Attached. 
 
 other foot and you will find that it will be necessary to let 
 the shoe on the slow foot extend out on the side so as to 
 have the same bearing from the centre of the coffin-bone on 
 both sides of the foot. Then make the shoe as shown 
 in Fig. 28 and you will have an equal bearing on both 
 sides. 
 
62 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 SHOE, WITH PLATE ATTACHED, FOR DROPPED SOLES. 
 
 Fig". 29 represents a shoe with a plate fitted into it which 
 I use in all cases of dropped soles. The object of the plate 
 is to take all the bearing- off of the outer crust or wall. The 
 dropped sole occurs g-enerally in large heavy horses. In 
 using" ordinary shoes the concavity of the bearing- surface 
 throws all the weight upon the wall and very little of the 
 shoe touches the sole. The result of this is that the sole 
 
 Fia. 30.— Stifle Shoe. 
 
 keeps dropping- down. In using- the shoe illustrated in Fig-. 
 29, apply hoof ointment and a packing- of oakum so that 
 the shoe will not bear hard on the wall. This will hold the 
 sole up and take the strain off of the wall and in time the 
 sole will go back to its proper place. It is sometimes a 
 good plan to apply a blister around the coronet to force the 
 growth of the foot and soften it up. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 63 
 
 STIFLE SHOE. 
 
 Fig". 30 represents a stifle shoe. There is an old saying 
 that ''my horse has g-ot a stifle out." I was horn, you 
 might say, a blacksmith, and I have heard my father say 
 many a time that he had got to go out and put the old 
 horse's stifle in. Now I don't think the old gentleman ever 
 saw a horse with a stifle out. 
 
 We have what w^e call stifle difficulties, but if the horse 
 gets his stifle out he will never do any more work. To get 
 tlie stifle out he has got to break a band of bone like the 
 knee-pan in man, and after this bone is broken it can 
 never be replaced. 
 
 There are cords and muscles that draw over the stifle 
 the same Avay as the^^ do over the knuckles of the hand and 
 it is these that slip and get out of place, and to cure such 
 troubles a shoe is used made in the style shown in the illus- 
 tration. This is to be put on the well foot, the object being 
 to make the horse stand on the crippled foot and hold his 
 cords and muscles in their places until they are relaxed. 
 
 Before using this shoe it is necessary to be ver^^ careful to 
 ascertain that the trouble with the horse relates to the 
 stifle. I have frequently seen cases where owners of horses 
 thought that the stifle was out of place and the only trou- 
 ble was that the horse had been pricked with a nail. 
 
 FLAT TROTTING PLATE. 
 
 Fig. 31 shoAvs a flat trotting plate or a shoe for pacers ; 
 can be made in the same style with light steel. With pa- 
 
64 Artistic horse-shoeing. 
 
 cers it is necessary to pursue exactly the opposite course to 
 what is necessary with trotters. 
 
 As a general thing* the lighter the shoe the faster a 
 pacer will travel. I make , pacers shoes down as low as 4 
 oz. and from that up to whatever size it may appear neces- 
 sary for the horse to carr}^ Always punch your nail holes 
 as near the toes as possible with all light shell horses. 
 
 Fig. 31.— Flat TROTTiNa Plate. 
 
 COLT S SHOE. 
 
 Fig. 32 shows a colt's shoe. The first two or three years 
 a colt is shod more pains should be taken with the shoes 
 than is required afterwards. A colt's foot is like the foot 
 (^r a growing boy. It is not very strong and it does not 
 take but a little to get it twisted and warped out of shape. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 65 
 
 One great trouble with horsemen is this. They will f^o 
 into a blacksmith's shop and say to the blacksmith: '' I want 
 some old shoes put on the colt, because I want something- 
 light." By such a plan as this it is frequently the case that 
 you get a 16-oz. shoe on one foot and a 10 or 12-oz. shoe on 
 the other, and the result is that the colt is unbalanced and 
 
 Fig. 32.— Colt's Shoe. 
 
 in a little while he is interfering, and soon gets to forging 
 perhaps. 
 
 Now we should equalize the weight of the shoes, g-etting* 
 them as near the same weight as possible on both front feet, 
 and as near as possible the same weight on both hind feet. 
 
 To make the shoe represented in tlie illustration, take 
 common halt' round iron, say f or i inch wide and 
 don't crease it at all. Tliey can be shaped around the horn 
 
QQ ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 of the anvil and made almost as fast as a hen can pick up 
 corn. 
 
 Dovetail the nails in and make eveiything- perfectly 
 smooth. With this style of shoe a colt will have shoes of 
 equal weig'ht and is not likely to g'et into the habit of inter- 
 fering- or forging-. I consider them the best shoes which can 
 be put upon a colt. 
 
 Fig. 33.— Hind Shoe with Three Calks. 
 HIND SHOE WITH THREE CALKS. 
 
 Fig. 33 shows a shoe with three calks. It is made the 
 same as any common shoe, having- three calks. It is used 
 in cases where horses have heavy pulling- to do. 
 
 I always make low calks. In most cases horse-shoers 
 get the calks too high, which causes a rocking and wrench- 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 67 
 
 ing* motion that produces more or less strain and injury 
 to the tendons. Be careful in applying this shoe, as in 
 other cases, to have the foot perfectly level. 
 
 TOE-WEIGHT AND SIDE-WEIGHT COMBINED. 
 
 Fig*. 34 represents a toe- weight and side- weight combined. 
 
 Fig. 34.— Toe- Weight and Side-Weight Combined. 
 
 When it is desired to increase the action of a horse in front, 
 the toe- weight should be used, and if it is desired to have 
 the same horse travel a little wider, use the side-weight 
 also ; forging one side so the weight will extend about an 
 incli further towards the heel than the other. 
 
68 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE -SHOEING. 
 
 In case the horse swing-s his feet outward use the heaviest 
 weig'ht on the inside of the foot, which has a tendency to 
 draw the foot back and make the animal travel square. If 
 he throws his feet too close together the additional weight 
 
 Fig. 35.— Shoe to Prevent Paddling and Knocking. 
 
 should be used on the outside of the foot, the object being 
 to make the horse spread his feet in traveling. 
 
 The same shoe may also be used to correct what is called 
 weaving, or where a horse throws his feet in traveling out- 
 ward and inward in a sort of weavinir motion. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 69 
 
 This shoe makes a very g-ood toe-weig-ht and side-weight 
 combined. It can be calked or not as may be required. 
 
 SHOE TO PREVENT PADDLING AND KNEE-KNOCKING. 
 
 Fig". 35. This shoe is made out of inch by half-inch iron. 
 
 Fig. 36. — FooT-BEARma Surface of Fig. 35. 
 
 creased all the way around, and should be used in all cases 
 of paddling-. 
 
 The great trouble with many horses and knee-knockers is, 
 that the}^ strike on the outside point of the toe. Take any 
 common shoe at the point indicated by A, say, weld on a 
 
70 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSESHOEING. 
 
 projection of half an inch to three-quarters of an inch in 
 length. It may be an inch longer if necessary. As the 
 horse strikes this projection in traveling- he swings over 
 and settles on the inside point of his toe. When this is 
 
 Fig. 37.— Rolling Motion Toe- Weight Shoe. 
 
 accomplished it is necessary for him to swing his foot out. 
 
 I have stopped very bad cases of knee-knockers with this 
 shoe and have had no trouble with it made exactly as re- 
 presented in Fig. 35. 
 
 Always be careftd to make the foot level in all cases, 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 71 
 
 when shoeing' for different diseases and the correction of 
 had hahits. 
 
 Fig-. 36 shows the foot-hearing- surface of Fig-. 35, as 
 well as the concavity which it is necessary to g-ive to the 
 
 Fig. 38.— Rolling Motion Shoe. 
 
 toe inside, and the position of the nail holes. It also shows 
 where the spur is welded on. 
 
 ROLLING MOTION TOE-WEIGHT SHOE. 
 
 Fig. 37 represents a shoe having- a toe- weight and a rol- 
 ling motion combined. This shoe tends to increase the 
 
72 AUTISTIC HOUSE-SfiOEma. 
 
 action in the fore-leg-s of the horse, the rolling- motion 
 making- it easy for him to travel. A, shows the bottom 
 of the shoe which is not creased, the nails being dove-tailed 
 in so that the heads will set perfectly smooth with the 
 surface of a shoe when it is on. 5, is a sectional view of A, 
 and show\s the method of constructing the toe, revealing 
 the convexity of the ground side. 
 
 ROLLING MOTION SHOE. 
 
 Fig. 38 represents the rolling motion carried to an ex- 
 treme. This shoe should be used in bad cases of stumbling. 
 It should be made out of inch by half inch iron. Do not 
 draw the inside web at all, but leave it the full thickness, 
 forge the outside edge and crease to the shape shown in the 
 illustration. This will give the horse action and makes 
 him raise his feet higher so that when he sets them down 
 there is nothing to impede his movements, as would be the 
 case with an ordinary toe. This shoe, represented by A in 
 the engraving, should be made flat in all cases. B, is a 
 sectional view showing the slant and proper curve for the 
 toe. 
 
 DOUBLE HALF-BAR SHOE. 
 
 Fig. 39 shows what is termed a double half-bar. This is 
 designed to take the place of a full bar, and the method of 
 construction will be seen by an inspection of A, which shows 
 a completed shoe. Half bars are attached and curl around 
 each side of the frog, relieving the heels of all undue pres- 
 sure. 
 
AUTISTIC HOUSEi-SHOEING. 
 
 n 
 
 B and C, show sectional views of the bars, giving an idea 
 of their construction and thickness. 
 
 In all cases of corns on both sides I have used this shoe 
 with g-reat success. 
 
 It has also proved very successful in all cases of contrac- 
 tion. The shoe should not be allowed to touch at the heels. 
 
 Fia. 39.— Double Half-Bar Shop. 
 
 The foot should be dressed perfectly level with the ex- 
 ception of what is taken off from the heels to prevent the 
 shoe bearing and touching on the quarters. 
 
 When the quarters get crowded down so that the^^ touch 
 the shoe, it should be removed and the -quarters cut down 
 
u 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 again so as to relieve the pressure. This shoe can be calked 
 the samt' as any bar shoe if necessar^^, but the closer we 
 keep the diseased foot to the ground, the better it will be, 
 and Vtif> sooner it will get into good condition. 
 
 Fig. 40.— Side- Weight and Toe- Weight Combined. 
 
 SIDE-WEIGHTS AND TOE-WEIGHTS COMBINED. 
 
 Fig. 40 shows a sidc-Aveight and toe-weight combined. I 
 use this shoe in balancing the action of all horses. If the 
 horse is inclined to hobble or hitch I use whis shoe on the 
 hind foot and increase the weight. There is no question as 
 to the good results of appl^-ing this shoe to any horse if 
 you get weight enough. If the first shoe fails to produce 
 the propel' result, increase the web, always placing the 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 75 
 
 weight on the outside of the foot. I use a ver^^ light heel 
 and no toe-calks. On the hind shoes of all speeding horses, 
 and generally on light driving horses, I always use small 
 heels, then when a horse reaches out the heel gives him a 
 firm grip on the ground so that he will not be likel}^ to slip o' 
 
 Fig. 41.— Rolling Motion Shoe. 
 
 strain himself. A, shows the completed shoe ; while B, gives 
 an idea of style of the calk used. 
 
 ROLLING MOTION SHOE. 
 Fig. 41 is a rolling motion shoe. The advantage of this 
 shoe is that it increases the action of a trotter and quickens 
 
76 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 his pace. In a common flat shoe a horse has to keep climb- 
 ing- from the time he raises his heels to the time he g-ets 
 over the point of his toe. With this shoe the rolling motion 
 
 Fig. 42.— Front Shoe with Three Calks. 
 
 comes in the moment he begins to raise his heels. A, repre- 
 sents the bottom of a completed shoe; while B, shows a 
 sectional view^ giving- a clear idea of tlie necessary roll, to- 
 getlier with the position of the creases. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 77 
 
 FRONT SHOE WITH THREE CALKS. 
 
 Fig". 42 represents a common froQt shoe with three calks. 
 This shoe is made the same as any ordinary shoe with the 
 exception that the calks are made lower, as with low calks 
 the foot can be kept in better condition than with hig"h calks. 
 
 Fig. 43.— Half-Bar and Side- Weight Combined. 
 
 As a g-eneral thing I do not approve of making- the calks of 
 any shoes over half an inch high. Many people are apt to 
 want high calks. The higher the calk the more rack and 
 strain there is. More ring-bones, curbs and spavins are 
 brought about by the feet rocking on high calks than by 
 anything else. Ay represents the complete shoe ; while B, 
 
78 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 shows a sectional view of the heig-ht and shape of the calk. 
 I always make the toe-calk a little bit the lowest. 
 
 HALF-BAR AND SIDE-WEIGHT COMBINED. 
 
 Fig-. 43 represents a side-weight and half-bar shoe com- 
 bined. When it is necessary to widen the action of a 
 trotting- horse, this side-weig-ht is used, and in case the 
 quarter of the same foot has grown in and wired under, the 
 half-bar is used, covering- just half of the frog. This will 
 spread out the quarter to where it is wanted. B, shows 
 the thickness of the half-bar as it rests on the frog-. 
 
 It should be borne carefully in mind that the bar only 
 touches and presses on half of the frog. It will not do to 
 extend it clear across the frog-. This shoe should be used 
 in all cases of broken doAvn quarters, or corns, or quarter 
 cracks. 
 
 A PLAIN HIND SHOE. 
 
 Fig-. 44 shows a plain hind shoe. On light driving: horses 
 I use no toe-calk. This shoe should be made of steel. 
 Turn up a very light heel, in all cases making the weight 
 as nearly as possible equal on both sides. When this style 
 of shoe is used for road horses they should be made very 
 long. The shoe should project at least one inch back of the 
 foot, the object being- to support the main cords and tendons 
 and the ankle joints. This takes off all concussions and 
 will prevent knuckling. In case a horse is inclined to 
 knuckle, a good long shoe should be used and the heel 
 should be raised. Use the same style of shoe for the front 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 79 
 
 foot as for the hind foot. That is as long a shoe as would 
 be used in difficulties of knee-sprung- animals. Knuckling 
 and knee-springing is brought on by straining the tendons 
 and cords. To give the animal relief, of course the strain 
 must be taken off. A, shows the complete shoe ; while J5, 
 represents a sectional view with the heel properly turned up. 
 
 Fig. 44.— Plain Hind Shoe. 
 
 PLATE FOR RUNNING HORSES. 
 
 Fig. 45 is a plate for running horses. It is made of 
 steel, very light, and varies in weight according to the size 
 of the horse to wliich it is to be applied. I make them as 
 light as Ifoz. and from that up to 4 ozs., according to 
 the weight the horse is designed to carry. They are made 
 
80 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 with four nails on a side and placed as shown in the engrav- 
 ing*. No calks whatever are used on the plate, the object 
 
 Fig. 45.— Plate for Running Horses. 
 
 being- to use as light a shoe as is compatible with a proper 
 protection of the foot. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 81 
 
 CHAPTER Y. 
 
 CLINCHING TOOL. 
 
 In this connection (Fig\ 4G) is described one of the most 
 useful Uttle tools which I have ever handled. It is used 
 instead of a rasp for cutting- out the small portion of hoof 
 driven outward by the nail, and interfering- unless it is re- 
 moved with proper clinching. This bit of hoof is usually 
 rasped out, but in rasping it a portion of the hoof on each 
 
 Fig. 46.— Clinching Tool. 
 
 ide of the nail is cut away to clinch the nail. The tool in 
 question will gouge out just enough hoof to admit of the 
 nail clinching in g-ood shape. Rasping* or filing under the 
 nail weakens the walls of the foot and it is far better to re- 
 move the small portion of hoof necessary by this clinching* 
 tool, 
 
 HANDLING BRIDLE. 
 
 I shoe all kickers, and handle all ugly horses with this 
 bridle. An^^ open bridle can be converted into this kind of 
 bridle by means of the Rockwell Bit. No. 1 in Fig. 47 
 represents the nose piece, whieli is 18 inches long- and is 
 
82 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEmG. 
 
 attached to the side pieces ; and after it is on the horse you 
 can take it up so that it will fit. This piece should always 
 be made 18 inches long so as to double it in attaching to the 
 
 Fig. 47.— Handling Bridle. 
 
 bridle. No. 2 in the illustration is 24 inches long, running 
 from No. 1 , to the top of the bridle. No. 1 shows where 
 the rope should always be lied. Then let it run ov^er the 
 neck as indicated at No. 4, then down Uj rough the rin^ in 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 83 
 
 the bit at No. 5. This rope shoukl be half an inch in diam- 
 eter and 12 feet long-. It may not be necessary to use it as 
 long" as this ordinarily, but in bad cases it may often come 
 in handy. I handled an ugly horse in this way. I put on 
 the bridle and take him out doors where I can have plenty 
 of room. Step to one side and give him a sharp pull. Every 
 time you pull sa^^ ''whoa." Then try the same tactics on the 
 other side. When you get on the other side he will be 
 likely to follow 3^ou. If he does you may know he is think- 
 ing of the bit. Draw up the rope tight and have some one 
 hold it, then pick up his foot and if he does not stand drop 
 the foot and give him a few more strong pulls of the rope. 
 You will find that he will not think very much about kick- 
 ing, but his mind will be on the bridle and there will not be 
 time for him to telegraph back to his heels to kick. 
 
 DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BODY OF THE HORSE. 
 
 The two parts of the head of the horse which correspond 
 to the temples in man are above the eyes. The orbit, which 
 is formed of seven bones; four cranial and three facial 
 bones, contains the globe of the eye. On the inner angle is 
 situated the haw, shown at ^4 in the engraving. 
 
 At B, the eye-pits are indicated. These are the iudenta 
 tions which are located between the ear and the eye and 
 above the eye-brows. 
 
 C, represents the front of the head or the face from the 
 eyes to the nostrils. This portion corresponds to the upper 
 part of a man's nose. 
 
 The neck of the horse is designated by the word crest, 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 85 
 
 and is shown at D in the engraving-. The crest comprises 
 all that portien of the neck covered by the mane. 
 
 E, is the forelock or that portion of the mane which 
 naturally falls over the forehead between the e^^es. 
 
 The ivithers indicated at F is the spot where the shoul-^'*', 
 ders meet. 
 
 The chest is shown at G, and is that part which is in front 
 between the shoulders and below the throat. 
 
 The hack is shown at H. It commences at the withers, F, 
 and extends along- the spine as far as the crupper. 
 
 The space between the back, H, and the stomach, J", is 
 called the barrel. 
 
 The flanks lie at the extremitj^ of the stomach and extend 
 as far as the hip bones. 
 
 M, represents the shoulder, while iV indicates the arm. 
 
 O, is the knee-joint. This corresponds to the wrist in 
 man. 
 
 P, is the shank. It commences at the knee-joint and cor- 
 responds to the Metacarpus in man. 
 
 Behind the shank is a tendon wiiich extends from one end 
 to the other and is called the back sineiv. 
 
 Q, is the fetlock-joint. The fetlock itself is a tuft of hair 
 covering a sort of soft, horn^^ excrescence, which is called 
 the ergot. 
 
 B, shows where the two pastern bones are located and is 
 that portion of the leg' between the fetlock-joint and the 
 foot. 
 
 aS', is the coronet ; a slight elevation lying below the pas- 
 terns, which is furnished with long hair falling over the hoof 
 all around the foot. 
 
86 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 T, shows the hoofs, or it may be said the nails of the foot, 
 as the lioof correspond to the nails in the human hand. 
 
 K, in the hind leg*, represents the stifle, which is the joint 
 of the knee and contains the knee-pan. This corresponds 
 to the knee in man. It is situated below the haunch on a 
 level with the flank and shifts its place when the horse 
 walks. 
 
 M', shows the. thig-h, which corresponds to the leg in man. 
 It extends from the stifle down to the hock. The hock is 
 the joint which is below the thigh and bends forward. This 
 thigh- joint corresponds to the instep in man. The hinder 
 part of the hock, which is called the point of the hock, is the 
 heel. Below the hock are the shank, the fetlock-joints, the 
 pastern and the foot, as in the fore-legs. 
 
 iV', shows the upper portion of the hind leg. 
 
 THE CORRECT ANGLE OF THE FOOT. 
 
 Very few horse-shoers, comparatively, understand that 
 there is a correct and incorrect angle for the foot to assume 
 when it is placed flat upon the ground. 'Some shoers cut 
 ' too much from the toe, throwing the foot too far over in 
 front, while others cut down the heel too low, necessarily^ 
 throwing the foot too far back. 
 
 Fig. 50 shows an illustration of a foot with the angle 
 properly indicated. Of course this angle will vary a little 
 in different horses and here is where judgment is required 
 in the horse-shoer. About 53 degrees may be considered 
 the right thing for the front foot, while 58 or 60 will be the 
 average angle for the hind foot. Almost any horse-shoer 
 
ARTISTIC HOR?K S.n07JNG. 
 
 87 
 
 can construct an instrument with the deg-rees marked on so 
 that it will be easy to ascertain exactly the angle of any 
 foot. 
 
 RESULTS OF USING POOR NAILS. 
 
 Fig-.' 50 shows a foot with the shoe attached, a portion of 
 which has been cut away for the purpose of illustrating 
 
 Fig. 49.— Correct Angle of the Foot. 
 
 how a poor nail may work serious and sometimes fatal 
 injur3\ A, shows the coffin-bone; B, the sensitive sole; and 
 Cy indicates where the nail split, and a portion of it pene- 
 trated through the sensitive sole and nearly through the 
 point of the coffin-bone. The moral of course to be drawn 
 from this is that no horse-shoer should ever be tempted to 
 
88 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 use a poor nail. There are so many poor nails made that 1 
 resolved to visit the works of some of the best known 
 makers, and decide for myself which to use and recommend. 
 After inspecting- the factory of the Putnam Nail Co., and 
 witnessing" the whole process of forging, I no longer had any 
 doubt as to wiiich compan^^ makes the best nail, and shall 
 hereafter use and recommend only the Putnam nails. They 
 
 Fig. 50.— Result of Using Poor Nails. 
 
 are hot forged clear to the point, and I cannot conceive it 
 possible for a Putnam nail to split. I once lost a horse by 
 using poor nails. The illustration shows exactly how a nail 
 in this particular case did its fatal woi'k and the horse died 
 of lock-jaw. The illustration was made from the foot taken 
 from this horse. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 FEET, ETC. 
 
 FRONT VIEW OF A DISEASED COFFIN-BONE. 
 
 Fig. 51 represents the front view of a diseased coffin- 
 bone. When ossification takes place throughout the 
 
 FiG. 51.— Front View of a Diseased Coffin-Bone. 
 
 entire structure of the bone, the outside bone around the 
 edge of the coronet becomes enhirged. A great many 
 people term this a bad case of ring-bone, but it is not ring- 
 
90 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 bone, it is a g-enuine case of diseased coffin-bone, and there 
 is no cure for it. As soon as the foot assumes the condi- 
 tions shown herewith, the quicker 3^ou l^ill tlie old horse 
 the quiclver you will give him relief. 
 
 Fig. 52.— Back View of a Diseased Coffin-Bone. 
 
 BACK VIEW OF A DISEASED COFFIN-BONE. 
 
 Fig-. 52 shows a back view of a diseased coffin-bone. All 
 the relief which can be given to a horse thus afflicted is to 
 shoe him as near level as possible, raising" the heel-calks 
 and letting" the shoe extend out say an inch-and-a-half or 
 two inches back of the foot. 
 
 Fig-. 53 shows a back view of the near front foot of the 
 same horse. Fig-. 52 being the otf front foot. Fig-. 53 also 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 91 
 
 Fig. 53.— Perfect Representation of a Coffin-Bone. 
 
 gives a perfect representation of a coffin-bone. It will be 
 seen that there is quite a difference in the feet. 
 
 Fig. 54.— Front View of a Perfect Foot. 
 
 Fig". 54 gives a front view of a perfect foot, as shown in 
 the back view of Fig. 53. 
 
92 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 A VERY THIN SHELL. 
 
 Fig-. 55 represents a very thin light shell, the finer the 
 breed of the horse the thinner and lighter the shell in 
 every case. On this account great judgment is needed on 
 
 Fig. 55.— Very Thin Shell. 
 
 the part of the horse-shoer to determine what sized nail to 
 use. I use nails as small as No. 2 and up to as hig'h as No. 
 7, but do not use manj^ No. 8's, and have not driven a No. 9 
 horse-nail in seven years. The horse the foot came off, 
 shown herewith, was shod on Monday and the next Friday 
 was dead. There is no question in my mind as to what the 
 trouble was with this horse. He certainly died with lock- 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 93 
 
 jaw. There were only two nails in the outside wall, the 
 rest being" in the laminae, some of them coming clear 
 throug-h the lining of the foot, penetrating a mass of blood 
 vessels, arteries and sensitive nerves. 
 
 This foot came off a Hambletonian trotter. These 
 trotters have the lightest shells of any trotting horses in 
 the world. 
 
 Too great care, it will be seen, cannot be taken in dressing 
 the feet of fine bred horses, and great care is needed not to 
 use too large nails. 
 
 Fig. 56.— Sectional View showing How Nails should be Driven. 
 
 Fig. 56 shows a sectional view of a horse's foot, the 
 exact location of the wall of the foot through which the 
 nail must be driven can be readily seen. The most casual 
 observer will notice that a trifling deviation of the nail from 
 the proper course will send it into the sensitive laminae where 
 it will produce lameness and serious injury. 
 
 FOOT OF A HORSE THAT DIED OF LOCK-JAW. 
 
 Fig. 57 represents the foot of a horse that died of lock- 
 jaw. Now I am free to confess that I have killed two valu- 
 able horses in my life by driving the nails wrong and pul- 
 
94 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 ling- them out again before the owner could see what had 
 been done. In performing- this operation sometimes the 
 point of the nail will twist off and remain in the foot. Now 
 whenever this happens the outside crust or wall should be 
 opened at once and the piece of nail removed or the horse' 
 will die of lock-jaw. 
 
 Fig. 57.— Foot of a Horse that Died of Lock-jaw. 
 COLD VS. HOT HEATING. 
 
 Right here let me say a word with respect to hot fitting. 
 I talked in favor of hot fitting for twenty-one years. 
 Why did I do it ? 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 95 
 
 Simply because I could dress and level a horse's foot a 
 great deal easier that way than I could with a file or rasp. 
 Now the sensitive laminai of the horse's foot between the 
 shell and the lining- of the foot is similar to the sensitive 
 portion under the human finger-nail, and just as far as the 
 heat goes it kills the sensitive lamini^ and burns them out. 
 After we get the laminae burnt out on both sides, of the foot 
 to the depth of the thickness of the sole, if the hoi'se hap- 
 pens to be very heav}^, the sole is forced down and then we 
 say he is in the first stages of founder. I have foundered 
 at least five hundred horses in ni}^ life with hot shoes and 
 nothing else. I don't allow myself or any man under my 
 instruction to touch a hot shoe to any horse's foot. 
 
 The foot should be perfectly level in all cases, and the 
 shoe should be made perfectly level before applying it to 
 the foot. All we take off from the foot we take off from the 
 bottom of the foot, and never set the shoe back and chop all 
 the way around the outside. When this is done all the 
 strength of the shell around the outside is cut awa^^ and 
 this will cripple the best horse in the world. This is a 
 great mistake. 
 
 For twenty-one years I used to fit the foot to the shoe 
 and not the shoe to the foot. The first thing I used to do 
 after pulling off a shoe was to cut the heels down. After I 
 got the heels cut down low enough to suit me I would put 
 my buttress or knife in one side of the frog and cut that 
 side down. Then I would cut the other side down and if 
 the man was paying me a little extra price why I would 
 cut it all out. Now the frog does not want to be touched 
 with a knife at all. 
 
96 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 Under natural conditions the frog- is shed every three 
 months in a healthy foot and oug-ht never to be touched by 
 the farrier ; when the sensitive frog is subjected to the ordi- 
 nary banging and concussion which it will receive if let alone 
 the outside horny frog will shed itself. Cutting- the frog- 
 aw^ay stops the growth of the foot at least a year. 
 
 FOOT SHOWING A TOE CRACK. 
 
 Fig-. 56 represents a foot with a toe crack. This is a very 
 common occurrence, but toe cracks are not seen nearly as 
 
 A 
 Fig. 58.— Foot showing a Toe Crack. 
 
 often as quarter cracks. The point A in the engraving- re- 
 presents the split in the toe. In shoeing' a split toe always 
 cut out the hoof with a knife or rasp to the shape shown in 
 the illustration. B}^ tliis means the bearing- is taken off 
 from the crack. In such cases a calk shoe (such as will be 
 found described elsewhere) is used. This lets the horse 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 97 
 
 over easy and relieves the strain on the toe. It is very im- 
 portant to avoid all strain at the point where the crack is. 
 In this particular case it will be a good plan to use a bar 
 
 Fig. 59.— a Horse's Deformed Foot. 
 
 with the four-calk shoe. As the heels are expanded the 
 crack in the toe is closed up. A fruitful cause of toe cracks, 
 in my opinion, is the use of too larg-e clips. 
 
08 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEIKa. 
 
 A horse's deformed foot. 
 
 Fig". 59 shows the foot of a colt which was ruined by not 
 cutting- the heel for five years. 
 
 I have frequently had horsemen come into my shop and 
 say, " Don't cut the heel any, cut the toe but not the heel." 
 
 The horse whose foot is shown in the engraving- was 
 spoiled by his owner, who insisted that nothing should be 
 cut from the heels. 
 
 The poor blacksmith, however, Avas the man who had to 
 stand the blame. 
 
 When the heel is left too hig'h the horse's foot is thrown 
 over in .front, bending- it up and throwing- the pastern 
 bones and coffin-bone out of position. Instead of keeping- 
 their natural position, these bones, in the example under 
 consideration, had been thrown into a vertical position. In 
 shoeing- a liorse the heel must be cut down just as much as 
 any other part of the foot. Of course there are naturally 
 high heels and naturally low heels. A horse-shoer, if he 
 understands his business, will know just as soon as he 
 picks up the foot about how much to cut off and where to 
 cut. I have seen horses ruined by cutting- the heel too 
 much. If the foot, however, is kept at an angle of about 53 
 degrees, it Avill not be very far out of the way. 
 
 FOOT AVITH SECTION OF WALL REMOVED. 
 
 Fig. GO represents a dark colored foot. It is a curious 
 fact that a light colored foot has a thinner shell than a 
 dark colored foot. The piece from A to B in the illustra- 
 tion represents the outside crust or wall and laminas taken 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 99 
 
 out of the side of the foot to show the internal construction. 
 It can be easily seen by an examination of this illustration 
 that there is not very much thickness in any foot into 
 which a nail can be driven. The importance, therefore, of 
 
 Pl^K'iiti 
 
 Fig. 60.— Foot with Section of Wall Removed. 
 
 understanding- the construction of the foot so as to locate 
 nails properly cannot be overestimated. If the nail is 
 driven inside of the vrall it strikes the lamina^, and if it goes 
 inside the lamiiKv it hits between six and seven hundred 
 blood vessels. In most cases dark colored feet have a 
 
100 
 
 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 shell as thick again as light colored feet. 
 
 A white foot 
 
 witii a dark streak or a dark foot with a light streak can 
 stand more banging, go barefooted longer, and is far 
 tougher than any other kind of a foot. 
 
 SHOE WITH PORTION OF HOOF CLINGING TO IT. 
 
 Fig. 61 represents a shoe and a piece of foot that has 
 been pulled otf from the horse. When this happens it is 
 
 Fig. 61. — Shoe with Portion of Hoof Clinging to it. 
 
 caused by I'asping too much with the corner of the rasp 
 under, the clinches. The outside crust or wall should be 
 subjected to just as little rasping and filing as possible. It 
 should be understood that the sliell of the foot is not very 
 thick. A man cannot file with tlie corner of a rasp 
 under the clinches and make a groove big enough for a 
 canal boat to run in without getting the whole shell off. 
 
 With the ordinary method of clinching by rasping a 
 groove under the clinch, if the horse gets his shoe off he is 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE -SHOEING. 
 
 101 
 
 liable to pull a part of his foot off. Now I do not file with 
 the ordinary rasp at all. I have a little g-ouge so con- 
 structed that I can take off just what the nail turns up as 
 it comes out and b}^ using- the tool the shell is not weakened 
 at all. A great many after they get the shoe on and 
 clinched, rasp and polish the foot up to the hair. . I never 
 do that now. It should never be done in any case. When 
 it is done the shell of the foot is greatly weakened and all 
 the pores opened. 
 
 Fig. 62.— a Bad Case of Contraction. 
 
 No more rasping or filing- should be done on the outside 
 wall than. is absolutely necessary. 
 
 A BAD CASE OF CONTRACTION. 
 
 Fig. 62 represents a bad case of contraction. Few people 
 
 comprehend how much a horse suffers as his foot is being 
 
 drawn in at the heel by improper shoeing. This difficulty 
 
 is called by some people contraction, and others say that 
 
102 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 the horse is hoof bound, but whatever you call it, the horse 
 should be g-iven immediate relief. An animal thus afflicted 
 suffers as much as a man would suffer with a pair of 
 extremely tight boots, and perhaps more. It is no Avonder 
 in cases of contraction that a horse tries to relieve the pain 
 he suffers by walking- on his toes. The contraction of the 
 foot presses on the blood vessels and nerves and in a 
 measure shuts off the circulation, causing* intense pain. 
 Any man can easily tell when a horse is suffering- from 
 contraction by examining" the lateral ridg-es of the hoof. 
 
ARTISTIC HOKSE-SHOEING. 103 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 SPECIFIC DISEASES AND ACCIDENTS. 
 
 GLANDERS. 
 
 This highly contagious disease is believed to be almost 
 invariably incurable by any known means, and hence it is 
 not here introduced with any hope of its cure, but solely 
 that horse-masters should be able to recognize it, and, 
 when discovered, to prevent its being spread. The symp- 
 toms are — a ^^ellow discharge from one or both nostrils and 
 a swelling of the glands under the throat. If one nostril 
 only is affected, the corresponding gland is enlarged, while 
 the other remains in a healthy state. Sometimes the dis- 
 ease continues in this stage for man}^ months, but, sooner 
 or later, the discharge increases in quantity, and becomes 
 green and very offensive, and the mucous membrane of the 
 nostril becomes ulcerated, and the swollen glands harden, 
 and attach themselves closely to the jaw-bone. It may be 
 distinguished from the swelling and mucous discharge 
 which accompany ordinaiy cold b^^ the absence of fever, and 
 by the continuance of the disease for a long period of time ; 
 also by the swelled gland adhering to the jaw, which is a 
 very characteristic sj^mpton. The inflammation in gland- 
 ers is of a chronic character, and there is little heat of sur- 
 face. The ulceration of the mucous membrane is also pe- 
 
104 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 CLiliar to the disease, and never accompanies ordinary cold, 
 in which, also, the discharge is almost always equally co- 
 pious from both nostrils. From strang-les it may readily be 
 disting-uished by the absence of suppuration in the glands, 
 and by the hardness and adhesion of them to the jaw. 
 Glander, likewise, is the disease of old or adult animals, 
 while strangles very rarely attacks an^' but young ones. 
 In strangles, also, the mucous membrane lining the nose is 
 intensely red, while in glanders it is onl}^ moderately so ; 
 the discharge likewise in strangles is profuse from the first. 
 The cause of glanders is almost always contagion; but 
 in some few cases it appears to be generated, or rather to 
 degenerate, from common catarrh or strangles. Still it is 
 very difficult to arrive at certain conclusions upon this sub- 
 ject, because, instead of degenerating, it may only have 
 assumed the form of these milder diseases at first, and yet 
 all the time have been true glanders. But whether it is 
 so or not, it appears quite clear that many cases appar- 
 entl3^ of these mild diseases graduall}^ became converted 
 into glanders from some cause or other, and are then to- 
 tall}^ incurable. The point at which the change takes place 
 cannot be defined ; but the most experienced surgeons be- 
 gin by pronouncing them cases of common cold or stran- 
 gles, and end by asserting that they are true glanders ; 
 and the state of the constitution marks the alteration, tlie 
 horse having become thin and haggard, with his coat star- 
 ing and rough. Mr. Coleman relate a case in which several 
 sound horses on board ship were obliged to be closely con- 
 fined under closed hatches, in consequence of which some of 
 them were sulTocated, and the remainder showed unmis- 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 105 
 
 takeable signs of g-landers, althoug-h there was not the 
 slig-htest reason to believe that the}' Avei-e inocidated with 
 it by contagion. It is, therefore, reasonable to conclude 
 Avith the majority of writers on the subject, that glanders 
 is generated by foul stables ; want of ventilation and over- 
 crowding being generally the chief cause and origin of the 
 disease. The essence of the disease appears to be an ulcer- 
 ation of the mucous membrane of the nostrils, which 
 speedily contaminates the nearest lymphatic gland, and 
 finally attacks the whole s^^stem, constituting the form 
 called * ' farcy," — to be presently described. The ulcers dis- 
 charge a poisonous matter, which is capable of communi- 
 cating the disease to other horses or to man, or if absorbed 
 into the s^'stem, as it always is in course of time, it destroys 
 the health with more or less rapidity, but with great cer- 
 tainty. But this matter must actually touch the mucous 
 membrane of the sound horse, and no mere breathing will 
 suffice to give the disease. It is by drinking out of the same 
 bucket, or by smelling one another, and rubbing noses to- 
 gether, or licking one another, that one horse affects 
 another; and if the stalls were higher, it would be carried 
 from one to the other much less frequently than at present. 
 But no one with any prudence would run the risk of keep- 
 ing an infected horse; and the sooner such an animal is shot 
 the better for all parties, since neither horse nor man is safe 
 from inoculation, with all the care in the woi-ld ; and in the 
 latter case it is a frightful disease indeed, and one which no 
 one is justified in risking under any pretence whatsoever. 
 Treatment seems to wholly thrown away, though some few 
 cases are recorded in which sulphate of copper given inter- 
 
106 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 nally and applied externally to the nose, has apparently 
 cured the disease. The Spanish fly is also said to have had 
 the same good effect, but I know nothing- fioni experience 
 of these effects ; and I should he ver^^ unwilling- to try an^^ 
 experiments on such an intractable and loathsome com- 
 plaint. When the disease is established in a lot of horses, 
 they had better all be destro^^ed, and the stable treated as 
 for mang-e. The clothing- should either be destroyed or 
 well washed, and then baked ; the wood of all the stable 
 utensils should be painted, and the ironwork exposed 
 to a red heat. These means will j)revent its being- re- 
 produced, and if proper cleanliness and ventilation are 
 maintained afterwards, whereby the disease ma}^ be pre- 
 vented from being- generated, there is little fear of its 
 occurring again ; but if Professor Coleman's opinion is cor- 
 rect, that it is almost always g-enerated, and consequenth^ 
 if the first attack'was the result of filth and neg-lect, unless 
 the management has been altered, it is scarcely reasonable 
 to expect anything else but a repetition of the same disease 
 occurring from similar causes. 
 
 FARCY. 
 
 By the term Farcy is understood the train of secondary 
 symptoms which follow glanders ; and, just as we see in the 
 syphilis of man a primar^^ sore occurring on a dift'erent 
 part, followed by inflammation of the absorbents, enlaj'ged 
 lymphatic glands, and an eruption on the skin, so in the 
 horse glanders begins as a series of pi-imary sores in tlie 
 mucous membrane of the nose, together with an inflamma- 
 tion of the lymphatic gland, or glands, of the throat ; and 
 
AHI^ISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. lOlT 
 
 wlieii this state is followed l)y secondary symptoms, they 
 receive the name of farcy, thoug'h the two diseases are the 
 same, as is proved by inoculation. Mr. Youatt was of the 
 opinion that the farcy-buds, as they are called, arise from 
 the inflammation of the absorbents, at the situation of their 
 valves, and in their course to the g-reat blood-vessels of 
 the chest ; but this can scarcely be the case, because the 
 farcy-buds almost always make their appearance first upon 
 the lips and skin of the nose, parts which are more distant 
 fram the chest than the original ulcers, and certainly not 
 on the line of any valvular absorbents. The fact is, that, 
 as in syphilis, the matter is absorbed into the whole sys- 
 tem, and is then deposited upon the surface, choosing", 
 apparently, the most highly organized skin, in preference 
 to that furnished with fewer blood-vessels. The appear- 
 ance is as follows : First of all small tumors arise, fre- 
 quently in the course of the veins, but often in other 
 situations ; and as they grow they become hard, and 
 suppurate ; after which they burst, and discharge a thin 
 watery matter ; the sore presenting the same appearance 
 with almost all poisonous sores, viz., a deep central cavity, 
 with a rugged, hard, and elevated edge, and an unhealthy 
 watery discharge. Sometimes the in sides of the hinder 
 extremities are affected equally with the foi'e-quarter ; but 
 more often the latter is the chief seat of the eruption, the 
 inside of the arm, the tender skin of the brisket, the 
 muzzle, and neck being thickly studded with farcy-buds 
 and sores in all stages of progress. B3^-and-by, the deep- 
 seated absorbents become affected, the ulceration extends 
 deeply between the sheaths of the muscles and tendons, and 
 
108 ARTISTIC HORSE-SIIOEmG. 
 
 even into the chest ; and, at last, the whole cellular mem- 
 brane and lymphatic glands become one mass of disease, 
 finally wearing- down the horse by irritative fever. This 
 is the regular course which will occur in most cases ; but 
 there are numerous exceptions, in which farcy breaks out 
 suddenly without any warning- of these small and insidious 
 steps, and the ulcerations run their course more rapidly 
 than I have here described them. With regard to the 
 identity of the two diseases, there can, I think, be little 
 doubt on the matter, when it has so often been demon- 
 strated by inoculation that the matter of either will produce 
 a primary sore in the shape of glanders, followed by 
 secondary ulcers in the shape of farc3^ The latter disease, 
 when inoculated into the system of another horse, does 
 not at once reproduce its own likeness, but only bA^ means 
 of aglandered ulcer of the nose, or of any other part in which 
 it is inserted. If it is inserted in the skin, it is some time 
 in breaking out into ulcers, and it does not always succeed ; 
 but finally the secondary symptoms appear just as if it 
 were introduced into the Schneiderian membrane ; hence, 
 it is reasonable to conclude that the two are identical, and 
 that the analogy with S3q3hilis is complete. Farc}^ is dis- 
 tinguished from several other diseases which resemble it 
 by the following signs : 
 
 From Grease it ma^^ be known when it attacks the legs, 
 by the inflammation being less acute, though the swelling 
 is often more sudden, but the redness and glossiness are 
 not so great ; also b3^ the following symptoms given in the 
 table herewith : 
 
AUTISTIC HORSE-SHOEiNG. 
 
 100 
 
 In Grease, 
 There is generally some crack or 
 evident appearance of grease, 
 witii ichorous discharge from the 
 skin, and great redness and glos- 
 siness of it. The swelling is very 
 great, but it is greatest towards 
 the lower part, which is evidently 
 the fons et origo mali. This at- 
 tack is often called the "swelled 
 leg," which is perfectly distinct 
 from the ordinary ^Z/ed leg. 
 
 In Farcy, 
 There are always some ulcers 
 irregularly circular, and with 
 hard edges ; skin not very red 
 or shining, but swollen, and free 
 from discharge. Great general 
 tenderness, but no cracks in the 
 heels ; absorbents inflamed, and 
 showing hard lines and knots in 
 their course. The intlammation 
 extends upwards, and the swell- 
 ing is greatest above the hock. 
 
 From Surfeit farcy is easily disting-uished by the absence 
 of all ulceration in the former, and by the hair in it merel^^ 
 coming" off, leaving" a bare place beneath ; the little lumps 
 in surfeit are not so large as in farcy, except in the very 
 early stage ; and they come out over the body suddenly, 
 while farcy appears a bud at a time. 
 
 From Anasarca there can be no difficulty in distinguish- 
 ing this disease, because in the drops^^ of the celloilar 
 membrame there are no lumps, but an uniform swelling* of 
 the limb. There is a local oedema of the brisket, which is 
 called water-farc}', most improperh^ being mereh^ a sign 
 of general weakness, from the vessels g'iving' way in the 
 most depending part of the body. 
 
 The treatment of farcy may be conducted upon more 
 probable gi-ounds of a cure than in the case of glanders — 
 that is to say, if the horse is not so thoroughly infected as 
 is sometimes the case. When glanders is detected earl 3^, 
 it is usuall}^ a very virulent case, because trifling- attacks 
 of it are generally overlooked, and are suffered to deg-en- 
 erate into farcy before anything- is done ; and thus it is 
 
110 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 said that the farcy is often curable, while g-landers is 
 scarcely ever so. Now, when this is said to be the case by 
 the very men who maintain their identity, there must be 
 some extraordinary process of reasoning- going on in their 
 minds ; but the truth is, as I have remarked, that wiiereas 
 those cases of glanders which come under treatment are 
 very severe ones, so they are difficult of cure; and in the 
 same way farc}^ is seldom suffered to be developed from 
 g-landers when that was originally in a malignant form; 
 and hence, b^^ being mild, it is curable. Such I believe to 
 be the explanation of the fact, which is universally admitted, 
 that farcy is much more amenable to treatment than 
 glanders as usually presented to the veterinar^^ practi- 
 tioner ; the former being seldom malignant, and the latter 
 generally so. The cure is effected by local as well as con- 
 stitutional means. 
 
 The local remedy is the destruction of the ulcer or bud, 
 either by the actual cautery (the budding iron), which 
 should be applied- to every ulcer or bud so as completel}^ to 
 destroy it. The knife should first divide those buds which 
 have not ulcerated, after wiiich the iron will act more 
 energetically upon them., and yet with less destruction of 
 the surrounding skin ; or the sulphate of copper should be 
 freely rubbed into the ulcers, and made to destroy their 
 surface. Arsenic and strong nitric acid, likewise, have 
 been used with success, but their power is too great to be 
 trifled with by an inexpei'ienced man. Whatever local 
 remedy is used should be followed up wherever the bud 
 makes its appearance, as there seems to be no tendency to 
 heal without some destruction of parts giving a new and 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. Ill 
 
 healthy stimulus to the fresh surface. The constitutional 
 treatment is still more important than the local, and should 
 consist of such substances as will cause an excessive 
 secretion from some organ, carrying- with it the poison of 
 the disease ; and this substance should be as little lowering" 
 to the horse as possible. Three such medicines are known, 
 viz., mercury, arsenic and iodine, all of which are paraded 
 by their several advocates as certain cures. The bichloride 
 of mercury (corrosive sublimate) is the form g-enerally 
 given, in doses of from 5 to 15 g-rs., dissolved carefulh^ 
 and then added to a pint of g-ruel, the next morning. If 
 arsenic is given, it may be administered according to the 
 formula already given ; and I believe it to be bj^ far the 
 best remedy in farc^^, and the least injurious to the horse. 
 But it is onl3' as an experiment upon a horse which would 
 otherwise be shot that I should ever advise the owner to 
 use these powerful drugs without regular advice, as it will 
 seldom happen that he will be able to calculate the proper 
 dose, or to knoAv when to push it, and when to hold his 
 hand. Sometimes, however, such a case occurs as the one 
 I have alluded to, and then he may feel justified in tr3'ing 
 his luck ; and if so, I Avould suggest his giving the 
 biniodide of mercury as follows : Biniodide of mercury, 
 3 to 5 grs. ; linseed meal and Avater, enough to make a ball. 
 To be given three times a day. This I believe to be more 
 likeh^ than any other remedy to effect a radical cure of the 
 disease. The dose may be increased up to 8 or 10 grains, 
 with care ; but the above will generally be found sufficient, 
 and more safe than corrosive sublimate or arsenic. 
 
112 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 GLANDERS IN MAN. 
 
 Glanders in man is a horrible disease, capable of being* 
 inoculated from the horse when there is an abrasion of the 
 surface. Numerous cases of this kind have occurred, all of 
 which have been fatal wiien allowed to reach the stage of 
 absorption. If, however, the inoculated sore is destroyed by 
 the hot iron, or by lunar caustic or fused jjotass, there is 
 very little risk of the disease spreading ; and therefore the 
 groom who has the care of a g-landered horse, and who finds 
 a sore on his arm or hand, should ahvays consult a skillful 
 surgeon at once, and follow his advice, if he prescribes any 
 form of caustic, on the supposition that it is the disease we 
 are now considering". When it has been absorbed, there 
 seems to be little chance of a cure, though there are one or 
 two doubtful cases on record in w^hich it is said to have been 
 effected. At all events it is worth the trial, and the bin- 
 iodide of mercury holds out the best chance of a cure, in 
 doses of one-third of a grain three times a day. 
 
 j STRAINS AND BREAKS-DOWN. 
 
 Strains may affect either the muscles, joints, or tendons, 
 and each of these three sets of organs are constantly suf- 
 fering from them. Muscular strains consist of an absolute 
 tearing of the fibrous tissue composing the muscles, or else 
 of such an approach to a disruption as to have an equally 
 prejudicial effect in producing lameness. In some cases 
 the wiiole of a small bundle of fibres is torn across ; but 
 this is not the usual degree in which strams occur, and the 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 113 
 
 most common amount of mischief is only a slight separation 
 of a few of the very small fibres of which the bundle is 
 Qomposed; and this state is then generally spread over a 
 considerable surface, prcrducing considerable soreness from 
 inflammation. Tendonous and Ligamentous Strains are 
 very similar in their nature, and consist either in an absol- 
 ute tearing apart of these fibres, or such an approach to 
 this as to cause great inflammation, and consequent inca- 
 pacity for using them. Sometimes what is supposed to be a 
 strain of the tendon is really an inflammation in its sheath, 
 which causes great swelling and pain, and the limb is 
 thereby rendered quite useless for the time being. 
 
 Strain of the Shoulder is generall^^ a cloak for the igno- 
 rance of the groom or other attendant upon the horse, it 
 being really a very rare accident, though often assigned as 
 a cause for lameness which is really in the feet, leg-s, or 
 knees. It is an inflammation of some of the muscles of the 
 shoulder following violent strain, and generally confined to 
 the serratus muscle, which slings the body to the shoulder- 
 blade, and which is sometimes strained in coming clown 
 from a high leap, etc. The symptoms are a dragging of 
 the toe in the walk, with deficiency of action on the trot, 
 and a drop of the head while the afl'ected leg is being ex- 
 tended, and not while it is on the ground ; hence, when 
 shoulder lameness, is mistaken for foot lameness, the 
 groom is apt to shift the blame on to the wrong foot. It 
 may also be distinguished by laying hold of the affected leg, 
 and draAving the whole together icith the shoulder forwards, 
 when, if the latter is affected, the horse will give evidence 
 of pain, which he will not do if the foot or leg is the seat of* 
 
114 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEIKG. 
 
 the mischief. The treatment for shoulder-lameness lies in 
 rest, bleeding-, purging-, cooling halls, with nitre, etc., and if 
 it continues, the insertion of a rowel in the bosom. A cooling; 
 diet of green meat will also be needful, and all the corn 
 should be taken away. After all the heat has disappeared, 
 the horse may be turned loose into a box, and in another 
 fortnig-ht he may be walked out with a leading-'rein ; but it 
 should be two or three months before he is again mounted. 
 
 Strain of the Stifle is confined to the joint, which be- 
 comes hot and tender, and often swells considerably. The 
 remedies are the same as for the shoulder, but a blister will 
 often pi'ove very efficacious, and it ma^" be useci in prefer- 
 ence to a rowel, and repeated ag-ain and ag-ain. 
 
 Strain of the Round-hone, or Whirl-hone, as it is 
 termed by horsemen, is really confined to the hip-joint, 
 which is often strained, but more frequently said to be so 
 than really affected. It is very difficult to pronounce with 
 certainty that this joint is strained, but sometimes the 
 wasting- of the muscles affords unmistakable evidence of 
 the nature of the disease. Blisters and embrocations afford 
 the greatest chance of relief ; but when the wasting- is very 
 marked, and there is no evidence of present mischief, 
 nothing- but compulsory Avork Avill cure the disease. Lig-lit 
 farm-work, such as harrowing and the like, will often do 
 more good than all the applications in the world, simply 
 because the muscles have lost tone, and require the stimu- 
 lus of necessity to make them recover theii- power. 
 
 Strain of the Back-sinew occurs in all the varied degrees 
 from a slight strain to a breaking-down. When the 
 sinews are merely slightly strained, it is g-enerall}^ their 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 115 
 
 sheath Avhich is affected ; but if there is very great swell- 
 ing-, especially after racing, the chances are that there is 
 actual breaking down of the fibres of the tendon or suspen- 
 sory ligament, and often to a considerable extent. It is very 
 unusual, hoAvever, for there to be an actual and entire sep- 
 aration, and the most ordinar}^ condition is for the horse to 
 come in from his race very lame indeed, yet without his 
 fetlock touching the ground, and with only a partial sepa- 
 ration of the fibres, so that if it Avere not for the pain, he 
 would bear his weight on the leg. In the Avorst cases, 
 hoAA^ever, the fetlock-joint actually touches the ground 
 behind, and the leg is for the time rendered quite incapable 
 of bearing any Aveight at all. There is generally some 
 Avarning of this state of the tendon, AA^hich enlarges about 
 midAA^ay betAveen the knee or hock and the fetlock, and 
 forms there an OA^al sAvelling. When this is the 
 case, the chances are ten to one that an actual break- 
 doAvn occurs, although there may be no abolute lameness ; 
 but the inflammation is a sign that the tendon is in an unfit 
 state for Avork, and that it Avill most likely give Avay in the 
 next severe gallop. The proper treatment consists in cool- 
 ing general remedies; such as purging, bleeding if neces- 
 sary, and the nitre and tartar emetic ball. To this is to be 
 added light food, consisting of bran mashes, or green meat, 
 without corn, and entire rest. Locally cooling lotions are 
 to be appfied, and ice, if it can be procured in sufficient 
 quantity. A bran poultice should be applied, AAith scA^eral 
 lumps of ice in it; and as fast as they melt fresh lumps 
 should be added. The poiiltict^ is best put in an old 
 Avorsted stocking, Avhich Avill hold a large mass of bran 
 
116 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 round the leg*. In this way the active inflammation may 
 g'enerally be speedily subdued, reducing- it to the state in 
 which strains of the back-sinew usuall^^ appear; but, of 
 course, the more complete the rupture of the tendon, the 
 greater the difficulty of effecting- a radical cure. But it 
 should be known that these parts reunite and that a broken- 
 down horse will often recover the use of his leg for ordinary 
 purposes ; thougii he will seldom stand the severe trial 
 which racing- or training* demands. After the ice poultice 
 has been discontinued, and at the end of three weeks or a 
 month, when the leg- is quite cool, it may be necessary to 
 blister or flre the limb, or to apply a charge. If the strain 
 is very severe, nothing is so effectual as firing, followed by 
 a blister. Next to this comes an ordinary blister with mer- 
 cur}^ or the biniodide of mercur^^ The charge is a good 
 remedy after this last, as it prevents the horse from using 
 the tendon too soon, and affords a firm mechanical support. 
 The good effect of the arnica is also very considerable. In 
 old swellings of the back sinews, consisting of an enlarge- 
 ment of the sheath, rather than of a real break-down, a 
 sweating embrocation, will often effect an absorption of 
 the swelling, and prevent further mischief; but it should 
 not be used when there is any heat of the part, the cooling 
 lotion being then the proper remedy. It should always be 
 remembered that in strains, when there is increased heat 
 of the leg, cooling medicines, low diet, and cooling lotions 
 are the proper remedies ; and that firing, blistering, and 
 stimulating embrocations must be defin'red until this treat- 
 ment has had time to produce the desired effect. If 
 the contrary plan is pursued, matters are onl^^ rendered 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 117 
 
 worse than before, and a slig'ht strain is often thereby con- 
 verted into serious mischief. This golden rule should be 
 rig-orously acted on by stablemen in all cases. 
 
 BROKEN KNEES. 
 
 Broken knees, like strains, are of every degree, from the 
 slightest touch to the horrible wounds of the joint which 
 sometimes occur when a horse is dragged over a flinty road, 
 or falls over a heap of stones. These accidents, however, 
 rarely occur, if we are to believe the assertions of horse 
 salesmen, who pledge their honor (!) to the fact that 
 each case has been occasioned by the manger, or by a 
 stone wall in hunting, if the horse has at all the appear- 
 ance of that class of animals who are likely to be used as 
 hunters. But, leaving the cause out of the question, it 
 remains to consider what is the best treatment Avhen it 
 unfortunately happens that a particular horse has really 
 touched his knee by a contacts with the ground. This 
 will depend upon the extent of mischief, which may be 
 one or other of the three following degrees : First, if the 
 hair and cuticle only are rubbed off, and the cutis, or 
 real skin, is entire, the best plan is to give the horse a 
 dose of physic, and bathe the knee night and morning 
 with hot water, if there is an^^ swelling, or to appl^^ the 
 tincture of aimica diluted with water, in the proportion 
 of two drachms of the tincture to a pint of water; 
 then, when all the inflammation is gone off, which will 
 usually be in a couple of days, apply a blister to 
 the whole of the knee except the back, which is to be 
 
118 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 well guarded with lard, and this will bring off all the 
 hair, which will be reneAved, together with that cover- 
 ing* the part rubbed off, in about three weeks, and will 
 almost invariably prevent any blemish, which is very apt to 
 show itself if the blister is not applied ; for although the 
 hair comes on again if left to itself, it is often of a different 
 color to that of the surrounding parts, and the critical e^^e 
 distinguishes the blemish at once. Secondl}^, if the true 
 skin is cut through so as to show the cellular membrane 
 beneath it, but the joint itself is not exposed, a physic ball 
 may be given as before, and hot fomentations applied if the 
 bruise is very severe, or the arnica wash at once if there is 
 only moderate swelling. As soon as the inflammation is 
 abated, I should here also apply a blister, because I 
 have always found that the swelling caused by it contracts 
 the wound, and that the consequent blemish is much less 
 than would otherwise be the case. Indeed, I have suc- 
 ceeded in this way in effecting almost complete cures of 
 very large wounds of the skin, where a piece of it as large 
 as a 25-cent-piece has absolutely been cut away, besides 
 more extensive abrasions of the cutical around its edges. 
 Such a broken knee would, in the ordinary way, have exhib- 
 ited a permanently bare spot of the size of a 10-cent-piece, 
 but by the above treatment the bare space Avas not bigger 
 than a pea, and sometimes scarcely so large. After the 
 blister has risen, it must be carefully dressed with sweet 
 oil, or lard Avithout salt, sometimes called ''fresh liquor"; 
 and when the wound on the knee throws out healing granu- 
 lations above the level of the skin, they must be kept down 
 to the exact level by touching them freely with a piece of 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 119 
 
 blue-stone every day. The whole art consists in causing" 
 the wound to contract by tlie swelling- and stimulus of 
 the blister, and in keeping- down the granulations, or 
 "proud flesh," as they are called, by means of caustic. 
 The groom, however, should carefully avoid touching these, 
 unless they are above the surrounding skin, for below its 
 surface they are useful and necessar^^ to the healing- 
 process. Thirdly, when the joint itself is opened, the aid 
 of a veterinary surgeon should be called in, who will decide 
 upon the propriety or otherwise of destroying the animal. 
 Sometimes there is only a small opening, which may at 
 once be closed with the touch of a hot iron ; and at others 
 there is a discharge of serum, which the uninitiated will mis- 
 take for synovia (joint oil); but in an^^ cases it is better to 
 have the advice of a competent judge of the injury. 
 
 KNOCKING DOWN OF THE HIP. 
 
 The point of the hip is often knocked off by the horse 
 being cast in the stall or in the field ; sometimes by falling 
 into a ditch in the dry summer weather, when the struggles 
 of the animal Avill often break off the extreme point of the 
 hip, especially if at all ragged, and then the muscles, acting 
 upon the broken portion to wliich they are attached, draw 
 it down out of its place, and the hip is said to be ''knocked 
 down." After a time it does not much interfere with the 
 ordinary action of the horse ; but I am not aware of any 
 horse having been able to race after such an accident, 
 though many otherwise lik'cly colts have been thrown by, 
 and used for the stud or other purposes, in consequence of 
 
120 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 its occurrence. Nothing can be done to relieve the horse, 
 and time only will remove the lameness, which at first is 
 often ver3^ considerable, from the bruises which the muscles 
 have received, as well as the disruption of their fibres 
 which must necessarily have occurred. 
 
 QUITTOR, PRICKING, THORNS, ETC. 
 
 Quittor consists of a sinus running- downwards beneath 
 the horn of the hoof, and occasioned by a blow or other 
 injui-y of the coronet; or by some cause which has pro- 
 duced an abcess under the horn. It is, in fact, a sinus 
 under the hoof ; but those only are generally called quittor 
 Avhich depend upon bruises or wounds of the coronet ; while 
 those sinuses arising from pricks or inflamed corns are 
 called ''sinuses of the foot." In the former case a stimu- 
 lating application, thrust in with a probe covered with 
 lint, will generally cause adhesion of the sides of the sinus, 
 and effect a cure. A stroug solution of nitrate of silver, 
 or chloride of zinc, is the best remedy. If the sinuses 
 arise from below, and break out on the coronet, an 
 opening must be made in the sole of the foot wherever 
 the prick or corn produced the mischief, so that the matter 
 will always gravitate towards the bottom, and thus the 
 sinus will heal at the top. The nitrate of silver will here 
 also be a good dressing ; or the friar's balsam may some- 
 times be used with advantage. 
 
 Pricks in shoeing are constantly occurring, especially in 
 country districts, where the smith often drives three or four 
 nails in succession before he gets one tp come out g^t the 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEINa. 121 
 
 rig"ht place ; and the horse's flinching- clearly shows the 
 sensible part into which the nails have made their way 
 under his wild blows. It often happens that the injury is 
 not at once detected, but a day or two after shoeing- the 
 horse is evidentl^^ uneasy in his foot, and more or less lame. 
 On removing" the shoe, it is found that there is g-reat 
 tenderness at some particular part of the foot, and some- 
 times a great bulg-ing- ; but this is seldom evident so soon. 
 It is the better plan to place the foot in a cold bran poultice, 
 without a shoe on, and wait for a day or two, when, if the 
 foot continues very hot, the smith must pare down the horn 
 over the suspected place, and let out the matter if there is 
 any; or, if necessary, bleed at the toe, which is likely to 
 relieve the inflammation, and prevent suppuration, if it has 
 not already occurred. If matter has formed and is let out 
 a little, friar's balsam is pushed into the abscess on a piece 
 of lint, and the shoe tacked on ; but the lint must be so 
 placed as to be capable of being- pulled out on the next day, 
 so as to leave a clear opening for the matter to escape. In 
 a few days the shoe must be taken off again, and any 
 ragged pieces of horn removed, as Avell as the opening 
 enlarg-ed if necessary. The sinus ma^^ now be treated as 
 described under quittor. Sometimes a prick occurs from a 
 nail picked up on the road, and then the accident must be 
 treated as if it occurred in shoeing-. 
 
 Thorns received into the skin in hunting- are often very 
 troublesome, and should be searched for most carefully 
 when they are suspected to be present. The best way is to 
 wet the leg thoroughly with hot water, and then to smooth 
 the hair down slowly with the fingers, when the slightest 
 
122 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 inequality will be discovered, which in the dry state would 
 be readily passed over. When the thorn is found, it may be 
 extracted with a pair of tweezers; or sometimes it may be 
 necessarj^ to slit the skin up for a short distance, in order 
 to reach the butt-end of the thorn, which should be re- 
 moved entire if possible. 
 
 CASTRATION, 
 
 Is the operation of removing- the testicles of the horse, and 
 is now performed with g-reat dexterity by our best veterin- 
 ary^ surg-eons, and with ver^^ little risk to the colt. It 
 should, however, never be attempted by any one but the 
 above gentlemen ; and I shall not occupy space here by a 
 description of the operation. It is g-enerallj' performed 
 upon the colt at or soon after weaning-- time ; but in many 
 cases, when the head and neck are sufficiently- developed, it 
 should be deferred to the spring- of the second year. 
 
 RUPTURES. 
 
 Ruptures at the Navel are cured by passing- a strong pin 
 through the skin, and then winding some cord round it, so 
 as to produce inflammation and obliteration of the passage. 
 But this should always be left to the reg-ular practitioner. 
 
 NERVING. 
 
 Nerving is an operation done upon the nei-ves of the feet, 
 by which they are divided, and thus those organs are ren- 
 dered for the time insensible to pain. It is easily done by 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 123 
 
 any one who knows the relative situation of the veins, ar- 
 teries and nerves ; but no one who is not accustomed to the 
 knife should attempt the operation. 
 
 ADMINISTRATION OF CHLOROFORM. 
 
 Chloroform may be given to the horse. By me^ns of a 
 nose-bag- it may easil^^ be introduced into his system, by 
 which he is rendered wholly insensible to pain ; but the 
 veterinary surg-eon should always have the control of so 
 active an ag-ent. 
 
 CORNS. 
 
 There are several forms in Avhich these troublesome 
 g-rowths manifest themselves, thoug-h their cause and lo- 
 cation are g'enerally the same. 
 
 The seat of corns is always in the sole of the foot, or its 
 lower connection Avith the wall in the posterior portion of 
 the hoof, at or in the angie made by the wall in its return 
 to form the bars. 
 
 The primary cause of all corns in the horse's foot is an 
 uneven ground surface, resulting either from the improper 
 leveling of the foot by the farrier or its previous neglect. 
 Let the foot alwa^^s be pared level, and the shoe properly 
 adjusted to the wall, and corns will find no abiding place in 
 feet possessed of these conditions. 
 
 Hard corns are a fungoid growth upon the inner sole, at 
 its junction with the horn}^ laminaB, and lie beneath, as well 
 as at the side and rear of the foot bone. This substance 
 bears some resemblance and is analogous to the corn of the 
 
121 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 human subject, being" a thickened deposit of a kind of hard 
 skin, and, from its crowding- into the sensitive surfaces, the 
 source of so much trouble and pain. The corn may be gen- 
 erated by severe contusions upon the inner sole, but it geu- 
 erallj^ arises from a lateral compression of the horny hoof 
 inward upon the sensitive parts. 
 
 The vertical pressure of the horse's weight upon'the foot 
 bone is oftentimes so severe, and its winged extremities are 
 imposed down upon the underlying membrane and sensitive 
 sole so suddenly and forcibly as to bruise them against the 
 horny sole or shoe without. The bruise thus established 
 develops the wet or sappy corn, which consists of an effu- 
 sion of blood or serum into the pores of the horn, marking 
 its location by leaving a stain upon the outer sole. When 
 the stain appears dark, and is easil^^ removed by pariug 
 awa3% the corn is old and working out, but Avhen the stain 
 appears bright and ruddy, by penetrating further into the 
 horn, the corn is new, and needs attention. These corns 
 may be aggravated by additional injury, and terminate in 
 a more serious form, knoAvn as the superative, in which 
 case the sensitiveness will be greatly increased, causing in- 
 tense pain, and, as a necessary consequence, acute lame 
 ness, or finally resulting in laying the foundation for a 
 quittor. 
 
 In preparing the foot for the shoe, if the horn should ex- 
 hibit signs of moisture or discoloration, caused by the 
 exudation of a sappy or wet corn, open the centre of the 
 part indicated, and gradually remove the sole, until the 
 foreign matter is released. The foot must next be dressed 
 down until it requires a perfect level basis. For draught 
 
AUTISTIC HORSE-SHOElNa. 125 
 
 horses, let the toe be shortened and the heels lowered; 
 appl3^ a bar shoe the toe calkin to be set well back from the 
 front of the shoe. After the shoe is on put a few drops of 
 spirits of salts, then some hoof ointment to stop eating". 
 This way I have cured some very bad corns. 
 
 SORENESS OF THE FLEXOR TENDON. 
 
 As its name implies, this complaint is an injury to the 
 back sinew, from the effects of over- taxation. Work 
 horses are liable to become so affected, though it occurs 
 more frequently in the running and trotting horses, by 
 reason of their immense strides, the force of which has a 
 tendency — when prolonged to a certain extent — to cause 
 the tendons to become swollen and inflamed. 
 
 The shoe should extend well back at the heels, the calkins 
 being at least one-half inch higher at the heels than at the 
 sides of the toe, where it should be w^ell rolled on the ground 
 surface, in order that the horse may be enabled to "get 
 over " the toe of his foot with but little strain on the flexor 
 tendon. 
 
 I have also found the scoop-toed rolling-motion shoe very 
 successful in the cases of trotting and running horses. 
 The feet should alwaj^s be well leveled and straightened, 
 and the toes shortened as much as safety" will permit. A 
 preliminary application of bandages with cold water ma}' 
 be found beneficial. Make a shoe wide in web, with four 
 calks all put on length w^ays. 
 
126 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 THE MULE. 
 
 As this '' drudg'e of all servants" is of a different variety 
 of the same species as the horse, his foot also [partakes of 
 the difference. Upon examining- it, we find that in front 
 the mule's foot is round and full. From the quarters to 
 the heels, however, the difference in its shape appears, 
 instead of inclining- at an ang-le equal with the face — as is 
 the case in the horse's hoof at the heels — it is nearly per- 
 pendicular. 
 
 Care must be taken that the foot does not grow too long* 
 or too high at the heels or toe, as the outer frog- would 
 thus be prevented from touching- the g-round. The tendency 
 then would be for the hoof to contract on its g-round sur- 
 face. I have seen the walls at the feet come tog-ether, 
 from coronet to ground surface, until the foot was hardl}^ 
 more than half its natural diameter. The heels overlap- 
 ping each other, had crowded the bars and frog- out of 
 sight, raising the inner spur and bars as high as the 
 coronary band. As the crowding of the bars thus necessi- 
 tates a displacement of tlie internal structure of the coffin- 
 bone being raised behind, the weight presses it forward 
 against the laminae. The laminae in this part being- over- 
 tasked, soreness and finally lameness ensues. 
 
 In many instances the mule is treated for lameness or 
 strains, when the proper remedy was to have had his feet 
 properly dressed and suitably shod. Bo not permit the 
 heels to g-row to an extreme height; pare them down as 
 much as can be safely done, and reset the shoes every three 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 127 
 
 or four weeks ; leave the frog- and bars untouched and the 
 heels unopened. 
 
 In shoeing- the mule for draughting- purposes, toe and 
 heel calking will be required. In such cases, have them 
 low, and of the same height, that the foot may be kept as 
 near to the ground as possible, and the animal will travel 
 with more ease and safet3\ Let the shoes be adjusted in a 
 manner so as to fit the wall; and to avoid the possibility of 
 cramping the foot, use small nails, with the nail holes 
 straight punched. 
 
128 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 CHAPTER yill. 
 
 RECIPES. 
 
 Scratches. 
 
 A disease which attacks the heels, consisting in an 
 inflammation, swelling-, and consequent chapping discharge 
 of foetid matter, most commonly occasioned either by 
 inflammation of the foot, want of exercise, or b^^ neglect 
 in cleaning or drying the heels carefully. In cases of this 
 kind, exercise is essentially necessar^^ to be assisted by a 
 few applications of my hoof ointment and careful grooming. 
 In inveterate cases, where the disease appears to have 
 become habitual, the eruption is known as grease, and 
 there will be more difficulty in its removal, though the same 
 treatment, generous dieting, good grooming, and regular 
 exercise will tend to recover it. 
 
 For sores like the preceding kind, make applications of 
 my hoof ointment. When the frog is diseased, saturate 
 with a piece of white cotton; press it into the opening in 
 the cleft until it is well filled. The outer surface of the 
 affected parts may be then given a slight coating, to 
 protect the diseased portion from foreign particles of dirt. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 129 
 
 Precautions to he Observed in Buying and Trafficking 
 
 in Horses. 
 
 In buying a horse the greatest precaution is necessary 
 lest the purchaser is cheated. Every part of the horse's 
 body is liable to defects and derangements— it behooves us 
 therefore in examining a horse not to be in too great of a 
 hurr}^, especially if Ave have to deal with cunning and bold 
 jockeys, who know how to disguise the faults, peculiarities 
 and age of a horse, and how to manage to deceive the 
 purchaser by all kinds of tricks, the effects of which are 
 very useful in the hands of a designing jockey. In pur- 
 chasing, this point should be well considered, lest w^e should 
 pay for an apparent value which will sooner or later dis- 
 appear and cause us to regret our purchase, hence I would 
 advise those who do not understand this business to take 
 counsel with a trusty friend instead of depending upon 
 their own judgment in such dubious matter. 
 
 Finally, we have to mention a few^ tricks which are fre- 
 quently^ resorted to by horse dealers to faciliate the sale of 
 horses, these tricks are angleizing, dressing, peppering and 
 whipping the horse. By angleizing a common horse, he is 
 made to look nobler. Dressing the feet, mane and inner 
 ear is a great means of embellishing the horse, for he seems 
 to acquire a more imposing posture, the neck looks more 
 slender and graceful, the hearing becomes more acute, he 
 is more attentive to everything that is taking place 
 around, and the pendulous ear looks more erect. 
 
ISO ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEINO. 
 
 Balling, 
 
 To prevent the feet of horses from balling' with snow, let 
 the frog of the hoof and the fetlock be cleaned and well 
 rubbed with soft soap previous to going out in snowy 
 weather, it will effectually prevent their falling from what 
 is termed balling. Accidents will be prevented by this 
 simple precaution. 
 
 String Halt. 
 
 This is a kind of lameness peculiar to the hind quarters 
 of the horse, which occasions a sudden jerking of the legs 
 upwards, when it seizes the outside muscles the horse 
 straddles and throws his legs outwards, when the inside 
 muscles are affected his legs are twitched up to his belly, 
 sometimes only one leg is affected ; the cure is difficult and 
 rarel^^ accomplished, rubbing and fomentations are rec- 
 ommended with daily moderate exercise, by which the 
 blood and spirits may be equall3^ divided into the disordered 
 muscle and its corresponding one. 
 
 Hide Bound Horses, 
 
 A horse that is hide bound grows lean, has a feverish 
 heat, his skin sticks to his ribs, the spine becomes harder 
 than usual, small boils break out on his back and 3'et his 
 appetite sometimes continues good. As this disorder is 
 seldom an original complaint, generally arising from some 
 former cause, regard must be had to that cause in the 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 131 
 
 method of cure. Bleed about ^ gallon from the neck vein, 
 then take i pint of linseed oil, i pint spirits of wine, mix 
 tog-ether and rub them strongly against the hair, in the 
 warm sun in order that the skin may be relaxed and a 
 sweat break out, after which the horse should be well 
 curried and put in a warm stable with plenty of litter, then 
 feed the condition powder once a day for ten days in a bran 
 mash. 
 
 Strain of the Shoulder, 
 
 Horses that are weak before and low^er footed with an 
 unstead}^ tread are most liable to contract this disorder, 
 which consists in a twist or sprain of the strong muscles 
 that attach the shoulder to the body; taking up the foot 
 and bending the limb will further prove the existence of a 
 strain, if the hoi'se evince pain, Avhereas if it lie in the foot 
 the lame leg can be moved as supple as the other, tlie 
 difficulty of ascertaining the real seat of lameness is some- 
 times so great, being entirel^^ invisible, as to cause many 
 expedients to find the exact place, for this purpose hold up 
 his head high and after comparing and finding no differ- 
 ence in the shoulders, let go the head, when he would be 
 observed to flinch upon bringing it towards the afiected 
 side; let a person rattle some corn in a seive at a distance 
 behind him, alternating the sides, he will be observed to 
 evince pain in turning his neck and straining the affected 
 side, not so the pain in the foot ; the horse will step short 
 and throw out his leg in a semi-circle when he has received 
 a prick in shoeing, this last sign is not to be taken as final 
 indication of a strain in shoulder, the foot is to be exam- 
 
132 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 ined and the smith ciuestioned as to his skill and care- 
 f idness in shoeing*. 
 
 Cure, if the injuiy be considerable, as when a horse has 
 been thrown, he should be bled at once in the plate vein, 
 a laxative ball or purgative must follow, proportioned to 
 the actual state of his body at the time ; I would advise a 
 liniment for the same to be used once a day for ten days, of 
 1 pint of alcohol, | pint linseed oil, 4 ozs. arnica, 2 ozs. 
 squills, and 2 ozs. spirits of hartshorn. 
 
 To Cure Wind Galls, 
 
 On the first appearance of wind g-alls the cure should 
 be attempted by restring-ents and bandag-e, for w^hich 
 purpose let the swelling be bathed twice a day with 
 vinegar or a decoction of oak bark and alum, if this method 
 after a proper trial should not be found to succeed, some 
 authors have advised that the swelling be pierced with an 
 awl, or opened with a knife, but mild blistering is in gener- 
 al preferred to these methods, a little of the blistering oint- 
 ment should be laid on ever^^ other day for a week, which 
 brings on a plentiful discharge, but generally in a few 
 days dries up, when the horse may be put to his work. 
 This is the only method to save scars, which paring leaves 
 behind and unless skillfully executed too often leaves a full-= 
 ness of the joint with stiffness. 
 
 Wind -Broken Horses. 
 
 This disorder is commonly en used by surfeiting, violent 
 exercise when the stomach is full, or by being ridden or 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 133 
 
 driven into water when hot and sweaty, or from an obsti- 
 nate cold not well cured. For the cure of this disorder I 
 would advise that the horse should have good nourishment, 
 plent}^ of corn and little hay, and that every da^^ the water 
 given him be impregnated with half an ounce of saltpetre, 
 and two drachms of sal-ammoniac. The hay made of white 
 clover is good for this disorder. 
 
 To Save Horses from Fire, 
 
 Horses are frequently burnt to death when barns and 
 stables are on fire, owing to the impossibility of leading or 
 driving them out of the building, while their eyes are 
 dazzled by the blaze, I assure all that by simply covering 
 their eyes with a bag, coat, or pocket-handkerchief, they 
 may be led out of danger without trouble or difficulty. 
 
 Weak Eyes or Hooks. 
 
 First, rowel below the eyes and in the jaws, then if the 
 eyes are much inflamed bleed two gallons from the neck 
 vein, and use the ej^e wash or eye lotion every morning ; 
 move the rowels everyday, and let them remain in 15 or 20 
 days. If the eye shoAvs a white speck in the centre there 
 is no cure for it — the nerve of the eye is afl'ected, but as 
 long as the e^^e runs water there is hopes of it, or the 
 eyelids swell. All young horses are liable to have weak 
 eyes. 
 
134 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 Eye Lotion — Hoiv to Make It, 
 
 Take a g-oocl quality of linseed oil, 1 pint, add to it 2 
 ounces of spirits of ether, g-um camphor \ oz. Let it stand 
 in some warm place until the oil cuts the gum, and it is fit 
 for use. Apply it to the eye every morning- with a feather ; 
 get it into the eye as well as possible. This is better in the 
 winter than the wash, but the wash is best for summer. 
 
 Eije Wash. 
 
 Take sugar of lead 2 drachms, white vitrol 1 drachm, 
 laudanum 1 dr., add to this 1 quart of soft water; let it 
 stand for 6 or 8 hours and it is fit for use. Wash the eye 
 out well with cold water ; follow this up for 3 or 4 weeks, 
 and then if the ejxs are . not much better, bleed and give 
 mild physic. The horse should be kept on low diet and not 
 overheated or worked too hard. Scalded bran and oats are 
 good. 
 
 Hoof Bound, or Tender Feet. 
 
 Cause of this is fever in the feet. Founder or gravel, the 
 symptoms are hot feet and a drawing in one inch from the 
 top of the feet at the heels. Never have the feet spread at 
 the heels nor rasped about the nail holes, for it will do the 
 feet an injury. Follow the directions given here. Use 
 either the hoof ointment or the hoof liquid ; apply it ac- 
 cording to the directions. For hoof bound or tender feet, 
 apply it all around the top of the hoof down one inch every 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEINa. 135 
 
 third day ; if for split hoof, apply it ever^^ day. First have 
 a stiff shoe on the foot and cleanse the cut or crack. N'ever 
 cut or burn for it. 
 
 Hoof Ointment, 
 
 Take rosin 4 ozs., bees- wax 6 ozs., lard 2 lbs., melt tog'eth- 
 er; pour it into a pot and add 3 ozs. of turpentine, finely 
 pulverized verdigris, enoug-h to color the mixture g-reen, 1 
 lb. of tallow, stir all until it g-ets cool. This is one of the 
 best medicines for the hoof ever used. It is g^ood for calks 
 or bruises of the feet. Follow directions. 
 
 Hoof Liquid, 
 
 For tender feet, hoof bound, etc. Linseed oil or neats- 
 foot oil, ipint of either, turpentine 4 ozs., oil of tar 6 ozs., 
 orig'anum 13 ozs., shake Avell and apply it as the directions 
 for the ointment tell. This is the best if the horse has been 
 lame long — it penetrates the hoof sooner than the ointment 
 — both of them should be applied at nig'ht, so that the 
 horse can go to work in the morning. He need not lose 
 one day's work. 
 
 Lung Fever, 
 
 Symptoms — The horse is taken with a chill and then 
 breaks out in a cold, clammy sweat, holds doAvn his head, 
 never offers to lay down, but groans when made to move, 
 ears and legs deathly cold. The cause of this is change 
 from warm to cold stable, and too much cold water when 
 warm. 
 
136 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 Cure — Bleed 4 g-allons from the neck vein, and take 1 oz. 
 of aconite, add to it | g-allon of cold water; drench him 
 with one g-ill of it every three hours, blister him over the 
 lungs, then give him water to drink that hay has been 
 boiled in, add to each gallon of it 1 oz. of gum arable, and 
 •J oz. of spirits of nitre, give this every four hours, rub well, 
 foment and rub the legs with alcohol and camphor until 
 they get warm — do not move him. Keep him in the open 
 stall if hot weather. 
 
 Cleansing Powders, 
 
 This is used when the blood is out of order, good to re- 
 store lost appetite, yellow water, and to be used where it is 
 spoken of. Take 1 lb. of good ginger, 4 ozs. of powdered 
 gentian, 1 oz. of nitre, | oz. of crude antimony, mix it well, 
 give one large spoonful every day in wet food. This is per- 
 fectly safe. 
 
 Hoof Evil, Thrush or Grease Heels. 
 
 Cause of this disease is over feed, and a want of exercise, 
 or standing in a filthy stable. Sj^mptoms — A discharge of 
 offensive matter from the frog of the foot and round the 
 top of the foot ; often the frog of the foot will come out, 
 then a stiff shoe must be put on to keep the foot from con- 
 tracting. 
 
 Cure — Bleed and physic, poultice the foot with boiled 
 turnips, and some fine ground charcoal, this must be done 
 every night for two or three nights, then wash the foot 
 clean with castile soap and soft water, and apply the blue 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 137 
 
 ointment every da}^ Keep the horse on a clean floor and 
 he will he well in twelve days. 
 
 To Make the Blue Ointment. 
 
 Take the ointment of rosin 4 ozs., | oz. finely ground ver- 
 digTis, 2 ozs. turpentine, 2 Ihs. mutton tallow, | oz. oil orig-- 
 anum, | 02. tr. of iodine, mix well. This is one of the 
 hest medicines that can be made, for scratches, hoof-evil or 
 cuts, and is good to apply on fistula after the rowels are 
 taken out. 
 
 To Make the White Ointment. 
 
 For rheumatism, sprains, burns, swellings, bruises, or any 
 inflammation on Man or Beast, chapped hands, lips, black 
 eyes or any bruise. Take fresh butter 2 lbs,, tr. of iodine 
 •J oz., oil origanum 2 ozs., mix well for fifteen minutes and it 
 is fit to use. Apply at night, rub it Avell with your hand — if 
 for human flesh lay on warm flannel. 
 
 Nasal Gleet or Discharge from the Eye and Nose. 
 
 The cause of this is neglect in distemper, or overheat or 
 cold. This is a white discharge and is not contagious, and 
 can be cured. 
 
 Cure — Stop working him ; take of alum -J lb., -J lb. 
 of rosin, | lb. blue vitriol, grind and mix well with 
 J lb. of ginger; give one large spoonful every night and 
 morning; bleed one gallon. Keep him out of the wet and 
 not work him. 
 
138 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 Disease of the Kidneys, 
 
 Caused by feeding- dirt or musty grain, hard drawing-, 
 overloading, or too much turpentine. 
 
 Cure — Blister over the kidneys, and give the following 
 pills every day : Take 1 oz. rosin, 1 oz. juniper berries 
 ground fine, 2 ozs. flour, make into a stiff paste, divide into 
 7 pills, give one every night, use the cleansing- powder 
 every day ; if the horse has trouble to g-et up when down, 
 swing him up for two weeks and give no food but that 
 which is clean — this is half the cure. Do not work or ride 
 him. 
 
 Black Liniment. 
 
 This is g'ood to applj^ on poll evil— fistula. Take of lin- 
 seed oil I pint, tr. of iodine 3 ozs., turpentine 4 ozs., oil of 
 origanum 1 oz., shake well and apply it every day, rub in 
 with the hand, wash the part clean before applying- it. 
 This is good on any swelling^. 
 
 Sore Mouth or- Tongue— Called Canker or Thrush, 
 
 Symptoms— The mouth runs water; the horse throws his 
 hay out of his mouth. The cause of this is often from 
 fi-osty bits being- put into his mouth or by eating poisonous 
 herbs. 
 
 Cure— Take of borax 3 drachms, 2 dr. of sugar of lead, i 
 oz. alum, 1 pint vineg-a-r, 1 pint of sag-e tea, shake tog-ether 
 and wash tlie mouth out eveiy morning. Give no hay for 
 twelve days. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 139 
 
 Hoiv to Remove Warts, 
 
 Cut them out by the roots— Take the Tenaculum or hook, 
 run it throug-h the wart and draw and cut round it, and 
 draw it out ; if it should bleed too much, take 5 g-rains of 
 nitre of silver and 1 oz. of water, wet a sponge and merely 
 touch the part with this wash, and it will stop the blood, 
 treat as a fresh wound, every time you wash it scratch the 
 scab off so the scar will be small. This is the only sure 
 way to treat them. 
 
 Bots, 
 
 Symptoms— Very much like those of colic— the ears and 
 legs are hot, and sometimes the sweat will start in the flank 
 and breast. 
 
 Cure— Make i gallon of sage tea, add to it 1 oz. 
 of alum, drench with one-half of it, and if he is not 
 better in thirty or forty minutes, give the balance, and 
 bleed 1 gallon. In six hours give a mild physic; this 
 will never fail if given in time. Never give turpentine, as 
 many do, it will affect the kidneys. 
 
 Colic. 
 
 Symptoms— The horse lays down and gets up often, and 
 looks around at his flank ; his ears and legs are cold. Cause 
 of this is cold water and change of food, over quantity of 
 acid collecting in the stomach. 
 
 Cure — Take laudanum h oz., sulphuric ether 1 oz., -| 
 pint of water, milk warm, drench, and if not better in 
 
140 AtlTISTiC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 forty or fifty minutes, bleed and repeat tlie drench. Do 
 not allow the horse to be moved while sick. 
 
 Founder in the Fif^st Stages, 
 
 Symptoms — The horse is stiff, his feet hot, and often 
 trembles, very thirsty. 
 
 Cure — Bleed from the neck vein 3 or 4 gallons, or until 
 he falls, then give the f ollowing- : , |^ oz. of aloes, 4 drachms 
 g-amboge, | oz. of oil of sassafras ; make this into a pill, 
 give it, and give him all the sassafras tea he will drink ; 
 turn up his feet and fill them full of boiling hot lard, bathe 
 his legs in hot water and rub them w^ell^ This will never 
 fail to cure in fortj^-eight hours. 
 
 Sick Stomach — Debility, 
 
 Symptoms — The horse refuses to eat, thirsty, hangs his 
 head, reels when he walks, e^^es are dull. 
 
 Cure — Bleed -| gallon, then if he will eat a mash, give 
 him one ; give no hay ; then give him ^ oz. rhubarb every 
 night until his bowels move, then take of gentian root 4 ozs., 
 fenugreek 2 ozs., nitre i oz.; mix and give a large tea- 
 spoonful every day ; do not give too much to eat when liis 
 appetite returns 
 
 Distemper. 
 
 Symptoms — Swelling under the jaws ; can't swallow. 
 
 Cure — Bleed 3 gallons and physic; then if a tumor is 
 found under the jaws, open it — if not appl^^ the general lini- 
 ment to the swelling, or the white ointment — make it break 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 1J:1 
 
 on the outside if possible, then give the cleansing powder 
 for ten or twelve days in mashes. Turn him out if you can 
 g-et pasture. 
 
 General Liniment, 
 
 Turpentine -|- pint, linseed oil ^ pint, aqua ammonia 4 
 ozs., tincture of iodine 1 oz.; shake it all well. This is used 
 for different things spoken of in the different recipes, sores, 
 swellings or sprains. 
 
 Broken Knees. 
 
 This is caused hj the horse falling on the knees. First 
 cleanse the part of all gravel and dirt, then wash them. 
 Take 2 gills alcohol, ^ oz. of arnica, tie the knees up in 
 coarse linen, and if they swell in twentj^-four hours, bleed 
 and keep the bowels open Avith mashes, and then apply 
 the blue or iodine ointment every other day. Do not use 
 the horse until he is perfectly well, or it may cause the 
 knees to break out again. 
 
 Worms. 
 
 . Symptoms — The horse eats, but will not thrive ; his belly 
 gets big, his hair stays. 
 
 Cure — Give 1 quart of strong tea made of wormwood, 
 at night ; the next da^^ give 7 drachms of aloes, 2 drachms 
 of calomel, make it into a ball and give it; give no cold 
 water for fortj^-eight hours, make it milk warm ; give him 
 two or three bran mashes, and some of the cleansing pow- 
 
142 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 der; if he shows any more symptoms, repeat the dose in 
 three weeks. This will never fail. 
 
 Physic Ball, 
 
 One-half ounce of aloes, 3 drachms of g-amboge, 20 drops 
 of the oil of Juniper, make it into a pill with a few drops of 
 molasses; wrap it up carefull}^ in a thin piece of g-reased 
 tissue paper ; draw out the tong-ue with the left hand, place 
 the g-ag in the mouth, and run the pill back with the right 
 hand until it drops off ; let the head down and give a sup of 
 water. First prepare the horse by giving" one or two 
 mashes. 
 
 Iodine Ointment, 
 
 Get 1 oz. of the grease iodine, 1 pint of alcohol, let 
 this stand in the sun two days, and this is the tincture of 
 iodine. Take 3 ozs. of tincture and ^ lb. of lard; mix 
 them well, and you have the iodine ointment. This is used 
 wherever the recipes refer to the ointment. 
 
 Big or Milk Leg, 
 
 This is brought on by a hurt, a want of action in the ab- 
 sorbent system — it is dropsy of the muscles of the leg*. 
 
 Cure — Apply the liquid blister every three hours until it 
 blisters ; then in six hours grease with soft oil of any kind ; 
 then in eight days wash the part clean and apply it again — 
 repeat it three or four times, then use the iodine ointment. 
 If this does not reniove it all apply the spavin medicine. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 143 
 
 Liquid Blister, 
 
 Take of alcohol 1 pint, turpentine -J pint, aqua ammonia 
 4 ozs., oil of origanum 1 oz., apply this as spoken of 
 ever^^ three hours until it blisters. Do not repeat oftener 
 than once in eight days, or seven at least, or it will kill the 
 hairo 
 
 Hoio to Tame a Wild Horse, 
 
 Halter him, and then take the warts from the leg", dry 
 and powder, then blow it up his nose ; then take oil of aro- 
 dium, drop a few drops on your hand and rub it over his 
 nose — this will make him follow you and you can do any- 
 thing- you wish. 
 
 Hoiv to 3Iake a Horse Stand to he Castigated, 
 
 Put chloroform on a sponge and hold it to his nose a few 
 seconds until he closes his eyes ; remove it and halter him. 
 This can be given to perform any operation. You can buy 
 it at the drug store for sevent^^-five cents per pound. 
 
 Spavin and Ring-hone Medicine, 
 
 Take of cantharides 2 ozs., mercurial ointment 4 ozs., 
 tincture of iodine 3 ozs., turpentine 4 ozs., corrosive 
 sublimate 3 drachms ; mix all well with 2 pounds of lard, 
 color it if you like. Follow the directions here given. 
 
 If for ring-bone or bone-spavin, cut off the hair from the 
 part affected, and merely grease the lump with the oint- 
 ment. Rub it in well with the naked hand. In two days 
 
U4 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 grease the part with lard, and in four days wash it off with 
 soap and water, and appl}^ the ointment again. So repeat 
 it ever^^ four days. If for wind-galls or bog'-spavin or curb, 
 apply the ointment every six days, 
 
 Johnston^ s Liniment. 
 
 Take oil of origanum 1 oz., alcohol i pint, oil of cedar 
 •J oz., oil of cloves -J oz., turpentine |^ oz., olive oil 8 ozs., 
 shake well. This is used for most all complaints of the 
 muscles. 
 
 Opedeldoc, 
 
 Take alcohol ^ gallon, 2 pounds of castile soap, 4 ozs. 
 of g-um camphor, 2 ozs. oil of amber, place the alcohol into 
 a pot in hot water, shave up the soap and keep it hot 
 until all dissolves, and you have the original opedeldoc* 
 
 Fresh Wounds, 
 
 First, stop the blood by tying the arteries, or by apply- 
 ing the following wash : Four grains of nitre of silver, 
 1 oz. of soft water ; wet the wound with this and then 
 draw the edges together by stitches one inch apart, then 
 wash clean, and if any swelling in twenty-four hours, bleed 
 and apply the blue ointment, or anv ^f the ointments 
 spoken of. Keep the bowels open. 
 
 Green Ointment, 
 
 Take 6 pounds lard, put into a 10-gallon kettle, add 2 
 gallons of water, cut jimpson weeds and fill them in and 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 145 
 
 cook four to six hours, slow, until the water boils off, then 
 put it into jars, add to each pound of ointment 1 oz. of 
 turpentine. This is a good and cheap stable ointment, for 
 scratches, galls, etc. 
 
 Lampers, 
 
 All young horses are liable to this trouble — it is nothing 
 but inflammation of the gums. 
 
 Cure — Bleed or scarify the gums ; never burn off for it 
 spoils the teeth and adds to the cause of the disease. Give 
 a bran mash ; rub the gums with salt. Give the cleansing 
 powders. 
 
 To Make Old Horses Young, or Get Up and Hoicl. 
 
 Take the tincture of asafoetida 1 oz., tincture of cantha- 
 rides 1 oz., oil of anise 1 oz.. oil of cloves 1 oz., oil of cinna- 
 mon 1 oz., antimony 2 ozs., fenugreek 1 oz., 4tli proof brandy 
 i gallon; let it stand ten or twelve days, and give ten 
 drops in a pail of water, or to a gallon. 
 
 To Make Ointment Like Sloan^s. 
 
 Take mutton tallow 4 lbs., bees-wax Jib., turpentines 
 ozs., melt over a slow fire and when partl}^ cold add the 
 turpentine and you have the same ointment Sloan sells for 
 everything. Try it and prove its value. 
 
 Butten Farcen. 
 
 Cause — Overheat, high feeding, and no exercise. Symp- 
 toms, the limbs swell up and break out in running sores. 
 
146 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 Cure — In the first stages bleed and physic, then tal^e of 
 gentian 2 oz., g-ing-er 3 oz., mal^e a stiff paste and divide 
 into twelve parts, add to each separately 10 grains of arse- 
 nic, make into pills, give one morning and evening, until it 
 makes his mouth sore, then wash the sores clean, and apply 
 the blue ointment to them. If not better in three weeks 
 bleed and repeat the pills. Apply the different liniments to 
 the legs if they swell. Be careful not to get the matter on 
 a wound, for it tvill kill you ! 
 
 Water Farcy. 
 
 This is a swelling along under the chest and forward to 
 the breast. Bleed and rowel in the breast and all along 
 the swelling, six inches apart ; appl}^ the general liniment 
 to the swelling, move the rowels every day, let them stay 
 in until the swelling goes down. Give soft food, mashes, 
 with the cleansing powders in it. This is dropsy, and there 
 are many causes for it. 
 
 Diabetes. 
 
 Too free discharge of urine, or cannot hold his water. 
 
 Cure— Give i oz. tincture of cantharides every ten or 
 twelve days, and if not entirely well repeat it, and bleed 1 
 gallon from the .neck; feed clean food. The cause is rotten 
 or must}^ grain, or too free use of turpentine. Keep him 
 open Avith mashes and green food. 
 
 Contraction of the Tendons in Neck. 
 S^^mptoms — Often the head is drawn to one side ; again, 
 the horse cannot get his head to the ground. Cause of this 
 \s spraining the horse, and rheumatism contracts. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. IttT 
 
 Cure — If it is taken in the first stag-es, bleed from the 
 neclv 2 gallons, then foment or bathe the part well with hot 
 Avater ; rub it dry, and take the g-eneral liniment and apply 
 two or three times a day, which will cure it. If it is of long 
 standing blister along the part affected, with liquid blister ; 
 do this every three Aveeks until he is well, and rub with 
 white ointment. 
 
 For Rheumatism, 
 
 Take alcohol ^ pint, oil of origanum \ oz., cayenne J oz., 
 or gum myrrh ^ oz., 1 teaspoonful of lobelia, and let all 
 stand over-night, then bathe the part affected. This is the 
 best medicine I ever used. 
 
 Heaves, 
 
 Take 4 ozs. balsam fir, 4 ozs. balsam copaiva, -| oz. 
 asafoetida, 4 ozs. vinegar, 3 ozs. alcohol. One teaspoonful 
 every da3\ Tartar emetic, as much as will lay on a ten 
 c<^nt piece, every three days. 
 
 Dope to Trade on. 
 
 Four ozs. black antimony, 2 ozs. cantharides. A small 
 spoonful twice a day will fat a horse in ten days. 
 
 Condition Poivders, 
 
 One pound fenugreek seed, I lb. anise seed, -| lb. cream 
 tartar, i squills, 2 ozs. antimony. One tablespoonful twice 
 a day in a bran mash. 
 
148 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 Gargling Oil, 
 
 One quart linseed oil, 1 pint barbadoes tar, 1 pint turpen- 
 tine, 4 ozs. oil of vitriol. I 
 
 To Spot a White Hoi^se Black. 
 
 Three ozs. litherage, 6 ozs. quick lime ; beat it fine and 
 mix tog-ether, put into a pan and pour a sharp lye over it, 
 then boil it and 3^ou will have a fat substance swim on the 
 top with which rub on the horse in such places as you desire 
 to have black. 
 
 To Make a White Star, 
 
 Take a knife and shave the hair off. Put oil of vitriol on 
 the spot you design white, with a feather. 
 
 Stoppage of the Urine, 
 
 Symptoms — Frequent attempt to urinate, looking around 
 at his sides, lying down, rolling and stretching. 
 
 Cure — Take ^ lb. alum, 3 drachms oil of camphor, grind 
 and mix. Make this in three pills. Give one every day 
 with a drench made of a small spoonful of saltpetre, and 2 
 ozs. water. 
 
 Lock-Jaiv, 
 
 Bleed largely and apply chloroform to the nose until the 
 jaws fly open. Put a gag in the mouth, and 2 ozs. tincture 
 asafoetida every six hours, and a dose of physic. This will 
 cure if there is any cure. 
 
ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 149 
 
 To Stop Blood. 
 
 If you can g-et hold of the artery tie it up, if not use the 
 following' : 10 grains nitrate of silver, and 4 ozs. of Avater. 
 Apply it to the wound and it will stop bleeding immediate- 
 ly. Apply this to warts after cutting them off. 
 
 For Killing Lice, 
 
 Take J pound of sulphur, 1 oz. spirits turpentine, mix 
 well with 3 lbs. of lard. Do not let the animal get wet. 
 Give a few doses of condition powders. 
 
 Loss of Appetite. 
 
 Bleed half a g-allon. Give a few doses of condition 
 powders. If he lacks life, tie a small piece of asafoetida on 
 his bit. 
 
 Big Head, 
 
 Four ozs. Venice turpentine, 2 ozs. Spanish flies, 2 ozs. 
 oil origanum, 2 ozs. spirits hartshorn, 2 drs. corrosive 
 sublimate. 
 
 Thumps, 
 
 Symptoms — The horse is almost exhausted, breathing 
 is very hard. The difference between thumps and lung 
 fever is distress of the heart, which you may hear at a 
 distance of twenty feet. 
 
 Cure — Bleed largely and it will stop suddenly. Dissolve 
 
150 ARTISTIC HORSE-SHOEING. 
 
 1 dr. of nitre and a large spoonful of salt in ^ pint water, 
 drench every six hours for three times. Do not work the 
 horse for a week. 
 
 To Cure Knee-Sprung Horses, or for Cord Soreness or 
 Enlargement of the Joints, or Knuckling. 
 
 Take 2 ozs. extract of Goullard's lead, 1 quart good cider 
 vinegar. Let stand three or four hours and bathe cords or 
 parts affected e^^ary night and morning. Use a bandage 
 if convenient ; will remove all fever or inflammation. 
 
INDEX 
 
 A PAGE 
 
 Anatomy of the Foot 13 
 
 Angle of the Foot. . .27, 39, 86, 87 
 Appetite, Loss of 149 
 
 B 
 
 Balling 130 
 
 Bar Shoe 41 
 
 Bhster 143 
 
 Blood, To Stop 149 
 
 Bone, Cannon 27 
 
 Bone, Coffin 25, 27 
 
 Bones, Coronary 27 
 
 Bones, Sesamoid 27 
 
 Bones of the Foot 25 
 
 Bots "... 139 
 
 Bridle (Handling) 81, 82 
 
 C 
 
 Cannon Bone 27 
 
 Castration 122 
 
 Chnching Tool 81 
 
 Coffin Bone 25 
 
 Coffin Bone, Diseased 89, 90 
 
 Cold vs. Hot Fitting 94 
 
 Colic 139 
 
 Coifs Shoe 64, 65 
 
 Contraction, Bad Case of 101 
 
 Contraction of Neck Tendons. 146 
 
 Corns 123 
 
 Coronary Bones , 27 
 
 D 
 
 Diabetes 146 
 
 Distemper 140 
 
 E 
 
 Eye, Discharge from 137 
 
 Eye Lotion 134 
 
 Eye Wash 134 
 
 Eyes, (Weak) 133 
 
 F PAGu 
 
 Farcy 106, 146 
 
 Feet, Tender 134 
 
 Fever (Lung) 135 
 
 Fitting the Shoe 38 
 
 Fire, To save Horses from. . , . 133 
 
 Foot, Anatomy of 13 
 
 Foot, Bones of 25 
 
 Foot, Deformed 97, 98 
 
 Foot (Perfect), front view of . . 91 
 Foot with section of wall re- 
 moved 98, 99 
 
 Forging 35 
 
 Founder 140 
 
 Frog Band 17 
 
 Frog, Horny 16 
 
 Frog must not be cut 40 
 
 Frog, Sensitive 16 
 
 G 
 
 Gargling Oil 148 
 
 Glanders 103 
 
 Glanders in man 112 
 
 Grease 108, 109 
 
 H 
 
 Half Bar Shoe 45 
 
 Handling Bridle 81, 82 
 
 Head (Big) 149 
 
 Heaves 147 
 
 Hide-bound Horses 130 
 
 Hip, Knocking down of 119 
 
 Hoof-bound Feet 134 
 
 Hoofs, Dark 23 
 
 Hoof Evil 136 
 
 Hoof, How it grows 29 
 
 Hoof Liquid 135 
 
 Hoof, Obliquity of 21 
 
 Hoof Ointment 135 
 
 Hoof, Wear of 31 
 
152 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Horn, Different kinds of 15 
 
 Horny Sole 15 
 
 Horny Frog 15 
 
 Horses, How to Buy 129 
 
 Horses, Hide-bound 130 
 
 Horses in a state of nature 10 
 
 Horse, Names of different parts 
 
 of body of 83 
 
 Horses (old), To make young. . 145 
 
 Horses, To fat quick 147 
 
 Horses, To Spot Black 148 
 
 Horses, To Castrate 143 
 
 Horse (Wild), To tame 143 
 
 Horseshoeing, Ancient 9 
 
 I 
 Interfering, Shoe to Pre- 
 vent 49, 50 
 
 Introduction 5 
 
 K 
 
 Kidney, Disease of 138 
 
 Knees Broken 117, 141 
 
 Knee-knocking Shoe 52 
 
 Knee Sprung Horses, To Cure 150 
 
 Knee Sprung Horses, To Shoe 37 
 
 Knuckling, To Cure 150 
 
 L 
 Lameness Cured by Proper 
 
 Shoeing 13 
 
 Laminae 27 
 
 Lampers 145 
 
 Leg, Dissected 27 
 
 Leveling Plate 35 
 
 Lice, To Kill 149 
 
 Liniment, Black 138 
 
 Liniment, General 141 
 
 Liniment, Johnston's 144 
 
 Lockjaw 148 
 
 Lockjaw, How caused 93, 94 
 
 Lung Fever .- 135 
 
 M 
 
 Milk Leg 142 
 
 Mouth, Sore 138 
 
 Mules 126 
 
 N 
 
 Nerving 122 
 
 Nails, How to drive 93 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Nails, Results of using poor 
 ones 87, 88 
 
 O 
 
 Ointment, Blue 137 
 
 Ointment, Green 144 
 
 Ointment, Iodine 142 
 
 Ointment, Sloan's 145 
 
 Ointment, Wliite 13: 
 
 P 
 
 Paddling and Knocking, To 
 
 Prevent 68, 69 
 
 Pasterns 25, 27 
 
 Periople 17 
 
 Physic Ball 142 
 
 Plate for Leveling 35 
 
 Plate for Running Horses.. 79, 80 
 
 Powders, Condition 147 
 
 Powders for Cleansing 136 
 
 Q 
 
 Quarter Crack, To Shoe for. . . 45 
 Quittor 120 
 
 R 
 
 Ring-bone, To Shoe for 55 
 
 Rheumatism 147 
 
 Ruptures 123 
 
 S 
 
 Scratches, To Cure 128 
 
 Sensitive Frog 16 
 
 Sesamoid Bones 27 
 
 Shell, Very Tliin 92 
 
 Shoes, Ancient Arabian 10 
 
 Shoe (Bar) 45 
 
 Shoe, Concave 59, 60 
 
 Shoe for Colts 64, 65 
 
 Shoe for Flat Feet 58 
 
 Shoe for Knee-knocking 52 
 
 Shoe for Stifle 62 
 
 Shoe for Tender Feet 55, 56 
 
 Shoe for Trotters 63, 64 
 
 Shoe, Half Bar 45 
 
 Shoeing a Knee Sprung Horse 37 
 
 Shoeing to correct faulty action 35 
 
 Slioeing to cure Lameness 35 
 
 Shoes, Modern Arabian 10 
 
 Shoes, Modern Moorish U 
 
INDEX. 
 
 153 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Shoes, Modern Persian 11 
 
 Shoes, Modern Portuguese. ... 11 
 
 Shoes, Old Enghsh 13 
 
 Shoes of Raw Hide 9 
 
 Shoe, Plain Hind 78 
 
 Shoe, (Side Weight) 51 
 
 Shoe, Side Weight and Bar 
 
 combined 53, 54 
 
 Shoe (Toe Weight) 46 
 
 Shoe to make a horse travel 
 
 square 60 
 
 Shoe to prevent interfering... 49 
 Shoe to prevent paddling and 
 
 knocking 68, 69 
 
 Shoe with double half bar. .72, 73 
 
 Shoe with Extension Calk. .56, 57 
 
 Shoe with four Calks 54 
 
 Shoe with Half Bar and Side 
 
 Weight combined-. 77, 78 
 
 Shoe with plate attached. ..61, 62 
 
 Shoe with Rolling Motion. .71, 75 
 
 lihoe with three Calks 66 
 
 Shoe with thiee Calks 76, 77 
 
 Side Weight and Bar Shoe 
 
 combined 53, 54 
 
 Side Weight Shoe 51 
 
 Side Weights and Toe Weights 
 
 combined 74 
 
 Sole, Horny 15 
 
 Spavins, Proper Shoe for 55 
 
 Spavin Remedy 143 
 
 StifleShoe 62, 63 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Stomach, Sick 140 
 
 Strains 112 
 
 Strain of Shoulder 113, 131 
 
 Strain of the Stifle 114 
 
 Strain of the Whirl-bone 114 
 
 String Halt 130 
 
 T 
 
 Tender Feet, Shoe for 55, 56 
 
 Thrush 138 
 
 Thumps 149 
 
 Toe Crack 96 
 
 Toe Tips 43 
 
 Toe- Weight Shoe 46 
 
 Toe Weight and Side Weight 
 
 combined 67 
 
 Toe-AVeight Shoe with Roll- 
 ing Motion 70, 71 
 
 Tool for Clinching 81 
 
 Trotting Plate 63, 64 
 
 U 
 Urine, Stoppage of l-iS 
 
 W 
 
 Wall of the Foot 14 
 
 AVarts, To Remove 139 
 
 Wind -broken Horses 132 
 
 Wind Oalls, To Cure 132 
 
 Worms 141 
 
 Wounds, Fresh 144 
 
VOLUJVIK III 
 
 // has been our aim in compiling Volume 3 of 
 PRACTICAL BLACKSMITHING to make it 
 even m^ore interestifig and instructive than the two 
 previous volumes. We have given in detail, directions* 
 acoompanicd by many illustrations , as to how to make 
 the tools most useful to blacksmiths. 
 
 Chapter i — Treats of Blacksmiths' Tools ; the preservation 
 of sane ; Bench Tools ; Tongs ; Tools for Farm Work ; Tools 
 for holding Plow Bolts ; Tools for holding Plow Shares, etc. 
 
 Chapter 2 — Gives various illustrations of Wrenches, and 
 descriptions for their use. 
 
 Chapter 3 — Gives illustrations and descriptions for Welding, 
 Brazing, and Soldering. 
 
 Chapter 4 — Describes the various uses of Steel ; Temper- 
 ing, Hardening, Testing, etc. 
 
 Chapter 5 — Illustrates and describes Hand Forgings. 
 
 Chapter 6 — Illustrates and describes the making of Chain 
 Swivels. 
 
 Chapter 7 — Treats on various points on Plow Work, with 
 illustrations. 
 
 The price of this volume, bound uniform with Volumes I. and 
 
 II. is $1.00, and a copy will be sent to any address on receipt of 
 price. In ordering be particular to specify that you want VOL. 
 
 III. OF PRACTICAL BLACKSMITHING. 
 
 M. T. RICHARDSON CO., Publishers, 
 
 P, O, BoQC 2348, New York. 
 
VOLUME IV. 
 
 PRACTICA L BLACK SMITHING. 
 
 This volume completes the Series of Four Vol- 
 umes. Like its companion volumes, it is hand- 
 soinely printed ivith clear, larije type on good 
 paper and contains over 200 illustrations* 
 
 Chapter T.— Ls devoted to Miscellaneous Carriage 
 Irons, Hammer Signals, etc. 
 
 Chapter II.— Tells about Tires, Cutting, Welding, 
 Bending ami Setting. How to make a Tire Heating Fur- 
 nace. 
 
 Chapter III.— Treats of Setting Axles, Axle Gauges 
 and Thimble .sk ins. 
 
 Chapter IV.— Tells about Springs. How to make 
 and reset. Different ways of Welding". 
 
 Chapter V. — Describes Bob Sleds. 
 
 Chapter VI. — Treats on Tempering Tools, including 
 Mill Picks, Drills, Taps, Dies, Knife Blades, Chisels, 
 Axes, Ham ners, etc. 
 
 Chapter VII.— Gives proportions of Bolts and Nuts, 
 f rms of Heads, etc. 
 
 Chapter VIII.— Treats of Working S eel. Welding, 
 an I Case Hardening. 
 
 Chapter IX. — Gives Tables of Iron and Steel, includ- 
 ing- size of iron, and different forms used by Carriage, 
 >Vago I a lid Sli'igh Makers. 
 
 It IS bouad in extra cloth, with ink side stamp and gold back, and 
 will be sent postpaid to ^x\y part of the country, on receipt of ONE 
 DOLLAR. In ordering- be paiticular to state that you want Vol- 
 ume IV. ot Practical Blacksmithing. Address, 
 
 m. T. f^ICHfl^t)SO^^ CO., Publlshetrs, 
 
 JP. O. Bo3C 2348, 
 
 NEiA^ YORK. 
 
How to Tell the Age of a 
 
 s:oi?,s:b. 
 
 A POCKET MANUAL OF GREAT VALUE. 
 
 Written by PROF. HEARD, a member of the Royal 
 Colleg-e of Veterinary Snrg-eons, London, and one of the 
 Professors of the New York Colleg-e of Veterinary Surg-eons. 
 
 The importance of knowing- 
 how to tell the ag-e of a horse 
 by an examination of his teeth; 
 cannot be over-estimated by 
 those who have occasion to 
 BUY HORSES. Such knowl- 
 edg-e is VALUABLE alike to 
 the FARMER,MERCHANT 
 and MECHANIC, and may 
 often save many dollars to itV 
 possessor. By a study of thi?* 
 book, all may learn in a short- 
 time to become experts. En- 
 g-raving-s are g-iven showing* the 
 shape of the teeth from the ag-e of Two-and-a-Half Years 
 up to Twenty Years. The TRICKS of horse traders 
 who *•' Doctor-Up" the teeth of OLD HORSES to make 
 them LOOK YOUNG, and thus deceive purchasers, are 
 full.y EXPOSED, and the matter explained so clearly that 
 no one need be cheated. This is the most practical book o( 
 clie kiud ever published. There is a chapter also on Horse 
 Character, or How to Tell the Disposition of a Horse ; 
 whether Kind and Gentle, or Vicious and Unreliable, 
 Bound in extra cloth, with ink side-stamp. Price jo cents. 
 Sent by mail on receipt of this amount in postag-o stamps* 
 or otherwise. Address 
 
 M. T. RICHARDSON CO.. Publishers, 
 
 P. 0. Box 2348, New York, 
 
JUST PUBLISHED. 
 
 He Practical iBrse-Slier. 
 
 We have just completed a 
 book on horseshoeing, compiled 
 from the practical articles which 
 have appeared in the columns of 
 
 *'Xlie BlacltsmitU 
 and l^tieel-wriglit'' 
 
 during the past few years. 
 Altogether it is the 
 
 MOST IMPORTANT 
 
 Work on 
 
 Horse-Shoeing 
 
 ever published, and contains, in 
 addition to illustrations of proper 
 shapes of shoes for different 
 diseases of the feet, engravings 
 and d-scnptions of the various 
 methods of Shoeitig Vicious 
 and Tlyly Morses or Jilules, 
 great variety of Tools suitable 
 and useful in horseshoeing are 
 de>cribed and illustrated. 
 
 It tells how to shoe horses to 
 Cure Contraction f to Pre- 
 vettt Jitterferinff or Over' 
 reaching. It tells the best 
 method of Treating Corns — 
 whether Cold or Hot Fitting 
 is best. A great variety of other 
 nformatif^n not at preseiK ob- 
 tainable elsewhere will be found 
 in its pages. 
 — rnr-r-— H ^i— iiii n iB m i I The book is bound in extra 
 
 cloth, with ink side stamp and gold back, and will be sent to any address on receipt of the 
 
 price, One I>ollar, Audress, 
 
 M. T. RICHARDSON CO., Publishers, 
 
 p. 0. Box 2348, New York.