Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 July 1882 — AGRICULTURAL. [ARTICLE]

AGRICULTURAL.

HorMthoelnc. Some affirm that there is no necessity for shoeing; hones under any circumstances, bat it cannot be avoided in many cases. Horses cannot Work on stone pavements, nor on Mgr roads without being shod. There is no doubt that farm horses sire shod much mace than is needed. On most farms very little attention is paid to the care of horses 1 feet. The dry plank floors of mo6t stables are injurious to feet, having a tendency to make them dry and brittle, instead of tough and elastic as they should be, whether they go without snoeing or not. Earth floors are much the best for the feet, and stone or cement are better than plank. Tbare is much difference in horses, some having flat brittle hoofs, that; will break off and keep them tender footed even while colts in the pasture, and others have tough hoofs that will bear a great amount of wear without shoeing. If those that are brittle, are kept properly trimmed they will not be so liable to break, and if they are kept moist and do not stand on hard dry floors the year round they will often improve. The expense of shoeing and the injury that is liable to be done to the feet by ignorant smiths, render it advisable to do ail tnnfc is possible to prevent the necessity for shoeing; but some attention is needed. If the colt is not shod from the beginning he will get along without shoes much better than if he is shod at first, and afterwards made to go without. Farm horses that go on the road but little and are kept at slow work will do without shoeing, but for driving on the road thei e are few horses and few roads that will enable them to -'o without 6hoes. A horse-shoer should be more than a good mechanic. He should understand the anatomy of the horse’s foot and be able to apply his knowledge in the construction and fitting of shoes to each . individual horse or foot; adapting the shoe to the hoof ind to the work the horse has to do, and not try to make every hoof work to the same style of shoe and fastened in the same manner. Every blacksmith now is a horseshoer vhether he knows anything about a horse or o6t, but the time should come speedily when horse owners shall dernnad for horseihoeing; men of skill in that branch, those who have mastered some of the principles involved and who understand their business. It is cruelty to the horse and loss to the owner to have shoeing poorly done, and it rests entirely with owners and drivers whether it shall be so or not.