SF 907 .W35 Copy 1 How to Shoe a Hor^c c<£,(i) a^(D OI2. TWENTY-FIVE YEARS' PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE IN HORSESHOEING AND TREATING OF LAME HORSES. M Brcati6c f ON THE SHOEING AND TREATMENT OF DISEASED FEET, WITH THEIR CARE, AND GIVING SOME or THE BEST REMEDIES IN USE FOR MAN OR BEAST. Bt ^. El. Watt©, VETERINARY HORSESHOER, 1020 NORTH KANSAS AVE., TOPEKA, KAS. I=I^IOE, OISTE JDOX^Hj^^JEI. I. W. PACK PRINTING Co., 115 East 7th St. Topeka, Kansas. £t2^^^^4^ -^s:tu- .^^^ Mo\v' to' Shoe a-Hor^c, OR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS' PRACTICAL EXPERT ENCE IN HORSESHOEING AND TREATING OF LAME HORSES. p ^rcati6e ON THE SHOEING AND TREATMENT OF DISEASED FEET WITH THEIR CARE, AND GIVING SOME OF THE BEST REMEDIES IN USE FOR MAN OR BEAST. -^^^oP^K^^, : Copyrighted i88g 'tAl^ / VETERINARY HORSESHOER, 1020 NORTH KANSAS AVE., TOPEKA, KANSAS. Printed by the I. W. PiCI PRINTIKG CO., 115 ti .7th St.,Topeka, Kansas. Si- Errata. Page 9, 15th line from top read "salt," inatead of ''salts." Page 9, 9th line from the bottom, read '-will not bed," instead of "will bed." Page 11, >ast line, read "navicular." Page 25, 2nd line under head of "Seedy Tee,'* read "burning" instead of "burying." Page 32, read Ist head "Navieular." Page 32, read second head "Gravel," not "Garvel." Author's Preface. ^Pheo'rjectof theTFriterio bringiDg this woik before ^ the public IS to treat on a subject tliat may be termed a newdepartare. Having bad twenty-five years experience in practical horse shoeiDg, and having made a specialty of the treating and shoeing of horses that had become lame from improper shoeing and trefttment of that noble animal aud best frieud of man, and having h id nnparalelled success in the cure of the many differ- ent diseases of the feet, and knowing the evils arising from improper shoeing and management of horses, the author brings this lifcile book to the cotice of ow^nera and raatagers of horses, as well as tbe horseshoers of thiscoantry with a three-fold purpose in view: (1) To allevi'^te the sufferings of tbe horse caused by ignorance or ciirelessness, or both; (2) That all persons who may own or have the care of horses may have a proper un- dtjrirt inding of how a horse should be shod, also, how their feet may be properly cured of diseases arisicg fiom accident or Bhoeing; (3) That all blackemithe, &nd especially those who shoe horses may know how to shoe horses according to scientific principles, and have a guide in the experience of one who has made the subject a life study that they may learn how to prevent laraeness in the feet as well as cure it. If this little book will do this the author will feel as though his efforts nave not been altogether wasted. As it is the intention to do good to his fellow man, as well as to the horse, rather than to the making of money, ho places the price within the reach of all. "With malice toward n«Be, but charity for all," I remain. Yours Truly; J. B. Watts, Veterinary Horeeshoer. r RATERNITY. [here should be a fraternal organization of horeMho- ers aod blacksmiths for the purpose of estBbli(>hing a more fri*ndl^ feeling within the Craft; as well to ben- efit each oher in business. They should meet together atst'ited tim-8 and consu t regarding the best methods of doing work, regulat* tb© prices of diifferent classes of work and to keep each other posted as regards frauds and deadbeatH both in and out of the trade. I think snch an organization would be better than a union. I mean a societ^j th&t will take in all the Craft, whether a proprietor op he' per, so he is of good moral habits and oonforms to the rales oC the societv. I have long thought that there ought to be something of this kind. If such a -^oaiety waa organized there would not be so much animositj existing between tb« members of the Craft. I know plenty of sjaitbs who have the bighead so bad that they thiDk ne one knows anything but themselves, and that no person should pretend to work in a lo^n bat themselves; I have in my mind's ey« now more than one psrsoa who is "built" just that way. I have bad it said to me that I must have a vast 6 How TO Shoe A Hobse. amount of cheek to set up a shop in Topeka among so many shops and good workmen. One went so far as to say tbat I did not know how to shoe a horse for a city or pavement, when he never worked in a city or for any pavement except black mud. Now, I say, give every man a fair show. It does not make any difiference where they are from, as long as they are j ast and honorable. Let us try to cultivate a mo/e fraternal spirit, whether we form a society or not; the horseshoer should be a man in every eense of the word and he should feel as though there was a great respocsi- bility resting upon him when he is engaged in horee- shoc^iDg, bacause he may by either ignorance of the structure of the horse's foot, or a little carelessness cause the unfortunate animal a great deal of suffering^ while it would injure the owner as well. Think about this, fellow Craftsmen, and let ua study to elevate the standing of our occupation both as a business and in the eyes @f the public. The Structure of the Hoof. ^Phe external or covering of the foot should be divided ^ into four parts, viz : tne wall or crust, sometimes called the shell of the fout, the so'e, bars, and horn j, or insensible frog; the external parts act as a protec ion to theinternal or sensitive portions of the foot, it is porous, or filled with hollow tubes in such a manmr as to pre- serve each ca. al distinct. Theee canals carry off the tx- crementionsor wastematterof Ihe hrof, and in them are ^ found the vessels by which the same are secrtted. The small vessels in the vascular and nervous meoQ- brane, beneath the hoof is a continuatioa of the true skin entering into the carals; also these ^mall vessels How TO Shoe a Hoese. 7 poS'.ess the propertieg of sensibiiitj and con<5ucfors; they have functions to perform which in the healthy s-tare nothing else can perform without injarj to the other parJs. The bars are the continuatioQ of the wall or crust forming HB angle at the heels and cndiog in front of the frog near the toe. They give strength and durability to the foot, prevents contraction at the heels and j rotect the sensi- tive parts of the hoof. As long as the walls and bars are left in their natural condition the foot will be pre- served in their natural f^raa. The sole is more elastic than the wall and is the me- dium of the sensitive paits through which the powers of elasticity, the percussion or concussion of the feet on the ground is regnlated. The horny frog is more elastic than either of the otber parts, and is intended *^o take the jar off the foot and legs of the horse and should never be pared with the knife in the lea^t. On the in- side of the wall or crust will be found a sec of leaves or lamina, resembling the under p&rt of a mufh com; they number about five hun i red, which fits a similar number found in cofiia bone. Each lamina hes two sides on edge, making about three thousand articulations and representing a surface of four square feet, giving the body of the horse sixteen square feet, within the hoofs, to rest upon. The hoof is to protect the sensitive paits within. It may be rendered hard or soft by proper treatment, its fo^m may be altered for better or worse, by shoeii)g, or by proper, or improper attention in the stable. Horseshoeing a Necessary Evil. ^Phe horse in a wild state never needs any shoeing or ^T® pioti etion to the foot, exceps what God gave him he can run over all kinds of ground and never get lame 8 How TO Shoe a Horse. Who ever heard of a colt having contracted feet, eoms or quarter craeks? Take a colt that has nerer been used and he baa a wide, sound foot, the heels are wide and open ; the feot ie widest at the quarter, if you take a rule and measure it, you will generally find it wider at the quarter than it is long. The fiog is wide aed spongy, and oonaesi well down on the grouud for the protection of the feet, seting as a cushion against the jar of the foot and legs, giving the horse a springy easy motion. Now after a few years service, or through improper oareby man you will find the heels drawn in and under the foot narrow and long, or, in other words, contractetl. The animal ha«i lost that easy motioEk and goes blunder- ing along as if bis legs had been broken, then the trouble is laid to everything else except the shoe ng. Shoeing ia am evil because it is nn injury to shoe a horse; a necessary evil because the manner in whioh he is treated by some men would Foon reduce him to no feet at all if be were not shod. I will say, though, that I have personal knowledge of horses, in T(>peka, tbat are driven winter and summer over the different kiods of pavements, UQshod on their hind feet, an«i they seem to be all right. It ia the rough rjads and hnrd pavements tbat the horse ia constantly wo-kiog on, the ataodiDg on dry plank floers which absorbs all the moisture of the fott, and then if ii is not shod properly will soon become so lame that the horse can hardly use it/ How TO Shoe A Hoksf. 9 Care of the Feet. ^fho feet should receive cons^^aDfc httenticn, to keep ^ thpm in g«^od condtion; evei-y borse owner sbouid have a trough or tub to batbe the anfmars feet in, and should give them a good bath overyday. If the feet are sonnd thnt wUl keep t' em in good coDdid-: n, but in case they become hard it will be well to poultice them with either a flax seed (r bran pou'tico. To make the latter takfe a bucket r f wafer, put in some wood ashes and let it pit until the water begins to feel elick to the hand, then ponr in Eome brnn nnd your poultice is com- pleted. If the foot is much fevered it will take two or three applicatioop to accorapl eh Tour object. The mad bath I .ilso recommentl : take good clean clay nnd thin it with wiiter. add a double hHudful of palts, this wiH take the fever out of the foot and make tbem grow fast. Never have a horse f^hod if hift feet ore very hard if jou can help it, bnt get them in gcod oond'tion first. To Shoe a Horse Properly. HrShe f-hoe for the front foot pbould, as a rriip, bo a wide ®i® web shoe, 8nd large enough to follow ih« foot around to tie heelw and extending a litfle back, so that when the foot gro^s will brd in the heels. The foot should be dresse'l as nfar as na that kind of business in my shop. After tbe shoes are takes off pare d )wu t le go vth of f ie ^oot and as you will generally find the toe uejds the most, aUvaj s take off all that is 1 eedtd from the botto n, so there will bd cone to be cut off oa the outside. If a fitter cannot fit a shoe to it can be put on without filing off a lot of the hoof, he is How TO Shoe A Hoese. 11 Dot much of a fitter. AUvays bear in micd that a gcod 6h er .will el ways save the foot and keep it in its natural ehape, save the heels, bare and frog, and remember that no frog, no foot; no foot, no hor e. The way horses are usually sbod by the a^verage horse-shoer, the shoe ^'s gen<^ rally one eize to short, atd to make a better profit, the smith uses altogetb^^ a hitd shoe, which is a narrow web shoe, and weighs ]e?s than a front or wide web shoe, and to make it have the ap- peHrarce of being long enoueh will bring it straight back from the quaiterp, instead ff following the rim of the foot pround la t. Why not say that it makes no differenee what kind of a boot you wear, if you take care of your feet, they will not hurt yoa! There are a great many men ia the business who do not knov? bow to shoe a horse, because they never had a chance to learn, th« men with whom they were apprenticed could not learn them anything, except to nail on shoes aad pog^ibly make them stay on a long time to the injury of the foot. As long as a shoe will stay on and the horee does not go lame, it is allright. Then there are some who will listen to every maa who brings a horse to the shop aud says hi wanta his horse shod "just so." Of course, i' .ne smith does not fully under- stand how the job ought to be done he will pul; the shoes on so the horse wil after a while go lame, and then the horse is either sprained or something else wrong, but the shod is never thought of as being th© cause. There are many mea who follow the business who never served an apprenticeship only long enough to learn to drive nails, ctilk a shoe and put it on, and are oftea employed because they will work cheap. There are other reasons why suck work is done and to the determent of the good, honest workman, who can and will do a good job. The man who works cheap will get the work of a great m^ny men and wh:) will say: "I got my hordes shod at saoh a place aad only cost a dollar or a dollar and a quarter," as the case may be, "and it is a g >od job because the shoes stick". Cheap workmen as a rule, are nearly all poor workmen. A man should change enou^jh so that he can afford to do a gooi j )b, or not do it at all. Then there are men who can c )mmind good wages anl a good jo'j, because 20 How TO Shoe a Horse. they can tara out lots of wjrk and yet they canaofc tell a caatrdcted foofc whea they see it. Then there is another cause for poor shoeing. Some oae w.ll spend mouths of time on a case of show t o tak^s to the f air, have theai groind aad pali-^hed and plated, and the men who are judges — not kaoving agood job when they see it — give him a premium The truth is he cnnQot shoe a horse on correct principles to save hioal Yet he will get the work regardless of the nucnber of horses he ruins, and when they become lame say he is either lame in the shoulder, or chest, founrlered, or something of that kind. I want it understood that there are a large majority of horse- killers, called veterinary surgeons, when called to see a lame horse^ will say that there is Bomething wrong in the shoulder and will either blister the hair off, or will tell you to go to some certain horseshoer and get a concaved shoe put on. Just as well cut his tail off for a sore eye. I have had dozens of just such cases, where some would-be veterinary surge in had failed, affctr making the horse lame in the shoulder by blistering, I would take the horse and dress his feet a3 they should be and then in a short time the horse would begia to improve. Some men cut, carve and burn a horse's foot as if there was no more feeling in it than there is in a block of wood. They neither regard the feelings cf the horse nor the injury they do the owner, and do liot care as long as they get their pay. May God speed the time when all such persons will either have to learn enough to pass an examination oq the subject of horse-shoeing and natare of the horse's foot, or be compelled to quit How TO Shoe a Hoese. 21 the busiues3. T woald like to sea the day scon come whea all thelejistatures of the states will pass such laws. I have lived and followed the business of horse skoing in five different states and all kinds of climates, hot and cold, wet and dry, and in all oojditioaij of roads and pavements, dry, sandy, wet, loam, hilly and rocky, cobble stoae, asphalt and m-^dern pavements, ss wall as limestone turnpikes, and kn »w tbat it is no use to Bay that th-^ pavements or the roads does this or that. I would much rather have a horse lame from goin^; bard-foot than from being shod. A little rest will cure one, but not the other. When a man undertakes to s^art a shop, be should understand kis busiuess and no man who owns a horse should let any man shoe h'm except an honorable smith, who will do just the Bame for a boy as he would do for h man. Corns. Their Cause and Cure. ^ffhere is no disease so common in horses' M^feet as c jrns. At leaet three-foutths of the lameness in the feet are caused by tbem. CAUSES. There are seveial different causes for corns. Firat:— By the shoe being too short and bedding in at the angle of the heel and bruising the sole. Second: — By the shoe being too wide at the heels and having too much beaiing on the quarters. Third:— By having the shoe uneven and too much weight on the heele. Fourth: — By the feet being contracted. 22 Hdw TO Shoe a Horse. HOW TO DISTINGUISH THEM. First: — Bj the horse resting his feet in front of him and throwing the weight on his toes. Second : — Bj tenderness at the heel. Third : — Bj removing the shoe and pareing the foot and in the angle made by the uniting of the wall of the hoof and the bar of the foot will be noticed a dark red spot. But if caused by contraction it may not show for sometime. Fourth: — Bj the horse getting lame and by fever in the part; also by the wearing of the &hoe mostly at the toe and when traveling does not let the heels come down on the ground. Neglected corns are a constant source of trouble to he horse, and are very apt to fester and cause a quittor. Almost every day the writer has a case of corns that have festered and have to be treated. WHAT TO DO. Take off the shoe and pare out the corn thoroughly I sometimes have to make a hole two inches deep by one inch in circamference. Do not be afraid to get it all out. Then if it has been very sore use some of the nerve and bone linement while you fit the shoe. If the horse has to be put to work at once, which is generally the case, if you can use a bar-shoe do so; but be sure whatever kind of a shoe, whether a bar or plane shoe, keep the bearing off the heels not by bendieg the shoe but by pareing the heel down so the weight will not come on the corn. When your shoe is ready fill the cavity of the corn with the healing salve, and if necessary take a hot iron and melt it so it will fill every crevice in the heel. Put some cotton over it to How TO Shoe a Hobse. 23 keep out the dirt, then apply the shoe but do not draw the shoe tight on the corn. Three nails on that side are suflBcient. Sometimes it will be Eeoess&ry to poultieo to take the fever out of the feet, bat a good way 16 to stand the feet in a tub of water and if warm so much the better. Do not let the shoes stay on over three or four weeks and be careful about let- ting the shoe reet on the heels. Apply the hoof ointment twice a week, and have the shoes fit so that they will follt^w tbe heels around to the frog Do not be afraid of hurting the frog by the shoes bearing against it as a great many people are; bevel the sboes out from the nail ho'.es back to the heels to prevent contraction. If you can use it, a bar-t-hoe is always best for corus, but always use a wide shoe at the heelt", that is a wide web, eo it will cover the heel and bar both. If the smith, or owner of the horse, will follow the directions laid down he will have no trouble with corns on his animals' feet. Always keep the feet soft. Quarter Crack, ,'l^uarter cracks are a split or crack in the hoof, *^ usually on the ineide quarter, but sometimes on both and extending down the hoof from the top, and sometimes from top to bottom in a straight line, but sometimes croFS-wise of the foot. When through the hoof to the quick it causes much lameness. CAUSES. Generally speaking, poor shoeing is the most pro- lific cause of quarter cracks, and of many other diseases of the foot; haviDg the shoe throw all the weight on 24 H©w TO Shoe a Hokse. the quarter; contrafitioa of the feek; the feet gettieg dry and hard end by using hot shoes to fit with, thereby drying up the foot and preventing the natural aesretive functions of the feet to distribute the prepper nutrition to the hoof. The hoof is porua ai d the secretioDB ooze out and keep it healthy and glossy, but when improp- perly shod by burning and rasping the ©namel of the hoof it soon asi-nmes a dry, hard and d«ad appearance and ie liable to quarter aud toe crack. It is sometimes caused by the horse being driven over rough and uneven roads and pavements while the hoof is dry and hard. WHAT TO DO. The best way to cure a quar- ter crack, and it only is a quts- tion of time, is to Uf^e a bar shoe and do not let the weight of the shoe rest from the quar- ter crack back to the heels; then take a sharp knife and cut across the foot above the crack about thrte-fourths of j.n inch and far enough above the crack so it will not start agaic. Cut in the hair until it bleeds, use the nerve and bone liniment a few times around the cornet and the hoof ointment freely; but first get the foot Boft by poulticing Of soaking in warm water which will alFO allay the fever. Sometimes it will be necessary to close the crack by boring smal holes, putting small copper wiie to keep it to its place and prevent spreading. Careful shoeing and attention will be all that is eeedel If nece-pary the horse can be used every day with no inconveni- ence. I have cured numbers of quar'er oracks and the animal in continuous use. CLOSING A HOOF CKACK By tiie use of thin wire. How TO Shos a EOiSE. 25 Toe OP Sand Crack. ^^re caused by drjneBg or briitlecesB '^ of the hoof Bud are in the front part of the fcoi aEd will haTS to be treated same as quarter cracke, except that in fitting the foot for the shoe, care mast be taken that the part of the foot where the ciack is must cot bear on the shoe. Clean cut the crack and put wires through it and pat two clips on the shoe one at each fide of the Ci-ack. Cut across the top, SAND CKACK. use our nerve and bone liniment and Fared away at the sides and bottom, the hoot ciotmeLt. Whenever the shoe to remove bearing . , , £ ^ v. i also method of gets loose, be very careful about shoeing with clips , . ,, , , , to support sides having the thee rest-t at once. of crack. Seedy Toe. ^3 caused by putting clips on the ^ shoes snd bnryiDg tbem m and pounding them back in the foot, biuisiog the toe aad cansiog a seperatiou of the horn and lamanie or the two layers of the horn that form the wall or crust of the SEEDY TOE. Showing llie separa- fci-t. tion of the wall from CUKE, the soft parts mider- ,, _ ., , . neath.j Pare the wall down so that it will not rest on the shoe. Clean out the crevice, fill it with healing ointment or tsr, and use the nerve and 26 How TO Shoe a Hor-e. boue liniment on the coronet tj get up hwal'hy aotioDS and usea hoof oiutmeut freely. To prevent seedy toe do not use clips on the sloe and, if you do, d© not burn them in or pound them into the foot; but take the kaife and out a place for them. Quittop. tuittor is the name of a disease of the foot when the festering of any sore, works up through the hoof and breaks out at the top next to the heir. CAUSES. A QUITTOR. Greatly neglected and f«ht-red corne, gravel getting in thefoetacda In active suppura- .^^ ^^ ^ ^^.,^ tiou, before the pus has broken out at ^OW to distinguish it. the top. Quittor usually appears on the quarters and at tha heels, but m ^st generally on the in- ner quarter over the seat of a corn. After the horse has been lame some-time the swelling appears at the coronet. la some horaes the swelling is large and in a few days breaks and then matter is discharged. This relieves the horse to some extent. Sometimes the pain is so great that the animal will not put the foot on the ground. If neglected in a short time pipes will form, pointing downward in every direction, having a common center at the top. The foot becomes enlarged and out of its natural shape. It is very difficult to cure unless taken in time. How TO Shoe a Horse. 27 A QUirroR. After it has brokon out at the top. TRHATMENT. First open at the top, then poul- tioe tbe foot until it is soft, then open from tbe bottom to connect with the opening at the top. Use the nerve and bone linement freely a few times, afterwards apply the healing saWe and fill all the parts with it, even if yon have to use a hot iron to melt it in find wash with caetile soap. PKICK. Prick, from nails or nail wounds, may becaused by cririi g nails mthe quick when shoeing, end by picking up nails in the road, or by stepping on a board contain- ing nails. Having had a great deal of experience in this line, having treated hundreds of such wound* I will say I have never known ore that tver give me much trouble if take-n in time. As sorn as I find there has been a nail in the foot I take my knife and cut '"around the wound until every thing in the wey of blood or matter formed CBn escape. Then I either use spirits of terpentine freely or the nerve and bone liri- ment for a day or two. I then fill the space with the '"heeling ointment" run it in hot but always kftep cotton on the hole, or some- thing to keep tbe dirt out. If the horse cannot rest, 1 run rosin over the cotton to be certain that no dirt or gravel ^ets irjto the hole* but open it every day. THE SOLE OF A FOOT. You can rest assured that Showing nail wound and if you do that there will be no ^^d how to pare it out. 28 How TO Shoe a Hokse. trouble. Sometimes it will be neccs*arj to poultice the foot to take the feyer out. li: is always be-.t to do so if poFsiable. Laminitis or Founder. his disease is of two kinds, acute &nd chronic. In ^ acute laminitis the feet are very much fevered, the horse being in much paia does not like tj move in any direction, especially backwftrd, rests the most ot bis weight on the hind feet. Sometimea the front feet give him so much pain that he will not stand on them but lies down. You WEAK^OLE^ may always distinguish it by trying to Predisposed to back the h'-rse. He will sway hie body founder and pum- iced foot. bBck without moving his feet. There are several causes for this trouble, over work and over feed, hard driving, and getting the horse hot and then letting hffn cool off in a draught, drinking cold water when hoi, or, may originate from some other disease, and settle in the feet, they being the weakest part of the horse, or it may be caused by bad shoeing, causing the feet to become inflamed. Right here I will state that to my certain knowledge at least three horses in this city of Topeka, that I have treated have been caused by the same shoer. One of them where I com- menced treatment would not stand on his feet to eat . He was turned out to grass and would Jie down and eat grass. When brought to me Itol dthe owner I would cure him for ttn dollars or no pay. I commenced on him the 25th of June 1887, and to this date Aug. 16th 1889, he has not been lame after the first three weeks and is used every day on the pavment. I refer you to 8. A. How TO Shoe a Hobse. 29 Steans and Howard Pierce, flour and feed dealers 1006 Kansas Avenue, North Tepeka. When iuflamation t^etg in the leaves or lamina separate sometimes, and usually in ohronio laminitis a sunken place in the front part of the hcof, the toe inciiaed to turn up and on pareing the foot yea will fiod that there is at the toe a black, rough and dead space between the wall and sole. The separation con- tinues up the front part of the hoof, quite a distance, while the heels grow fast and incline forward bringicg them well under the foot, causing the horse to walk mostly on the heels. The bottom i>t the f ot soon tends to drop dovvn causing vvhat is known as pumice foot. If not attended in time, it is almost always past cure) very few cases ever getting well. CHRONIC LIMINITIS Will be known by the clumsintss of the horse especial- ly of the feet. The chest sunken and as some say chest founder, where the trouble is all in the foot. He W/U rest his feet on the heels and rings or ridges wilj form around the feet. Good shoeing and by keeping the feet well pared and ute tbe nerve and bone linement around the coronet, and hoof ointment freely, will re- lieve the horse a great deal. In the case of S. A. Stears' horse I blistered freely with the liniment, used the hoof ointment and a bar-shoe for a while. In acute or chronic iaminites it is best to first poul- tice the feet before shoeing, but whea first taken pare the feet close until they bleed at the toe, then use either hot bath or put on bandages and apply hot water freely. If taken in time there will be no trouble in effecting a cure. 30 H©w TO Shoe a. Hokse. Pumiced Foot. lareful shoeing with ooncaye shoe, and getiiug a healthy action of the feet by ponltioing and ointment and blister Bround the coronet is about all that can be done for the animgl, Thrush. J s a disease of the frog, and ia caused by filth and ^ by leaving sloes on too long, and not keeping the feet cleaned out. The frog will rot and soMetimes come out, and is very cffemsive. All that is needed is to wash the foot clean every day and use the "healing ointment. Keep the feet clean and yoa will ct^ver he»r of thrush. But in treating any unhealthy or diseases ol the foot keep the horse's system in good, healthy condition, as the cure will depend a great deal on the blood being in a healthy condition. Give salts, sulpher, ginger and rosin ^ the three last in equal proportions, keep your stable clean and well ventilated. Just look to the welfare of your horses, to keep him healthy as you would yourself. Contracted Feet. ^J!^ contracted foot may be caused by the horse hiirN ^^ ing his foot or leg, and not useing the foot, which wi'l let the muscles of the legs and the foot shrink ^ but the usaal causes of contraciion are the evils arisiog from improper shoeing, such as you can find in almo.^t any town. Shoeing wide at the bee^s with the shoes beveled m, all the way back t o the heelp, 'with the shoes eroseing the quarters instead of following the wall around to the heels, catnot do anything else but con- How TO Shoe a Hoese. 31 tract the f jot, and cause corns, etc. Another cause is throwing the weight all on the heels and toe; drawing the quarters down with t!ie nails, bruising the heels causing them to ferer and get dry and haid, the frog dries up and then the first thing you know 7 our horde's feet begin to curl in at the heels, and any kiud of shoe- ing that will tend to bind the fo jt at the heels will sure- ly contract it. The high, strong heeled foot is the m«st easily cootraoted, but a flat foot once contracted is hard- er to cure. WHAT TO DO. Take your horse to the smith that will do the shoeing as laid down here, if he does not understand the veteri- nary part of his work, have him remove the shoes, but always have the clinches cut. Then have the feet pared down well at the toe. Open the heels well and if you can possiably spare the horse awhile (better hire one in his place,) poultice hie feet with the bran and lye poul- tice, flax-seed meal or anything to soften the foot. Then Lave a bar-shoe put on, the shoe bearing strong on the frog; be sure to not let it rest on the hee's and only use three nails on a side, next the toe. Use the hoof oint- ment freely, two to three times a week, and reset the shoes in three or four weeks If you cannot use a bar shoe let the shoe follow the heels to the frog. Do not have the shoe too long, and bevel the shoe out from the nail holes back to the heelp, good, strong bevel, and fit the heels the sb&pe of the shoe, but do not let it rest hard on the hee's. A good sboer can prevent the feet from contracting and also cure it, but a bungler never. Leaving the shoes on too loag will tend to contract tbe feet. If your horse is lame from contracted feet use the nerve and bone liniment oround the corronet and above. 32 H©w TO Shoe a Hoese. Bs it will relieve the soreness of the navicular joint. It is the duty of every man that sh©es ft horee as well the owner to fully understand the principles of proper shoeing, and treatment of the horse's feet. Aa the time ha^ come when no man ©ught to drive a nail in a foot without takJE^ a course of instruction on the Bcieace and art of the treatment of the feet, and also on the Siracture of the fo't, there is no excase for not under- standing the bu-iafss thoroughly, except that of gain without giving an equivalent. Neviculer Diseaes. Iphe principle cau^e is spraia of the tendons that ^'i^ pass between the frog and navicular bone. By a bad case of contraction, or anything that will cause the joint to become fevered and remaining so. The trouble will affecst the horse so that he will be resting first one foot in front of him and th-^n the other. His gait U short and clumsy, stumbles and wears the shoe off at the toe. Treat the feet the same as for contracted fee^, but •hoe with the heeis of the ehoe half an inoh higher thau the toe. If taken in time it is no trouble to effect a eve. Garvel. (gravel is the result of a gravel or some oiher bard ^ substance getting in the foot, generally between the wall and the sole where they unite, or at the heel in the corn, or any hole in the foot. Pare the foot do'-vu and after finding the place cut around it and remove it, and apply the linimeut or turpentine for a day or two, then use the healing ointment. Gravel if neglected will make the borse very lame and will work up through the foot and form quit tor. How TO Shoe a Morse. 33 Bruises of the Sole. fftused by treading on a stone in travcliag. Find where the soreness is and opain it, and ii8e either the liniment or turpentine a d»j or two; then fill th« hole witb hot galve and you will have no more trouble with it. Calks. iM^re no trouble if you will put the healing ointment ^^^ on and it will take the sorenetfs out, but they will have to have time to grow out. Be careful when near the bottom of the hoof tbat they do not cau^e the hoof to split and cause either toe or quarter crack. Better keep the hoise shod. Side Bones. W 8 the hardening or ossificatiou of the latere! cartila- ^ ges or gristle that extends from the wings of the coffin bone to above the qaarters. When tlio feet are sound they are soft, but whea ossified, or beccme side bone, are very hard and are ea&ily felt with the hand, above the quarters. All the way you can do to relieve the horse is to make the feet eprend out at the heels, and as well at the top arouad the qua- ters by shooing as for contracted feet, and blistering the sides where the bones are, frequently. Keep the foot soft and use the hoof ointment freely. Side bones are caused by bruises or by contraction, or the result of navicular disease, or by getting the foot fast and hurting the quarrers and iatiamation setting in. A good way to allay pain in the feet ib to stand them in a tub of varm water. 34 How TO Shoe a Hoese. Interfering. ^ 8, as a rale, the ftiulty action of the h"«rsG in handle- ^ ing his feet and sometimes the fault of the omith. If a horse interferes first find ont the part of the foot he strikes with and then let th® shoe set, a little under the foot at that place, and leave the n&il out at the part he strikes. Rasp the clinches close and round off the foot a little next to the shoe leaving it over the sboe. It requires a good deal of judgement sometimes to stop a horse from interfer'ng. Sometimes it requires a side weight with the heavy weight inside. I never ha \re known a side weight shoe, properly set with the weight on the inside, to fail and I have used lots of them, although most men u?e the weight on the outside. The worst interfering hor?© I oversaw was a mare at St. John Kansas, owned by Fred. Smith, and she cut both her front legs from her koeee to her pastern joint. I used the side weight on the inside and effected a permanent cure. FORGING. Also requires a great deal of judgement. Sometimes it is riecess ijy to make them spread out their hind feet, with side weights. I use side weight shoes som tiTm on in«ido and sometimes in the outside, paring the toe of the front f«ot down pretty well and the heels of the hind feet, leaving the toe of the shoe on the hind foot to set back of the toe and do not rasp it off You will have to be guided a great deal by the horse. On a roadster use a heavy shoe in front, and very light behind. By careful driving and noticing how the horse handles bis feet, will depend a great deal, in fact it is half in the driver. How T© Shoe a Horse. ^^ Hot FittSng. y deBOunoo the practic® of hst fitti»g, or in okber $ words to heat a ekoe red hot and pr?6a it down on th« foot, and burn it in uatil the smoke fills the shop, as some do. In tbe first place it is injnrione to the foot for it dries up tae foot, and deadoifts the ibeil or wall of th© hoof, and stops the »aftarBi flow of the secrelioss of the foot, by closing the pores of the hoof ; yoa vrill always find a foot of thnt kind brittle and dead. I hare shod horsts in all kiods of olimates, wet and dry, and nevi^r yet have I fonnd it necessary to barn a foot in order to dress it; tbe emitbs eay it will not hart tbe foot or tbe horse, but there are only two raasons why they fit with a hot Bhoe, one ia the foot cuts easier and tfeey can bed the shoe down so as to have an equal bearing all arouDd, saving time to the injory of the horse. Tbe secofid is the smith cannot fit a shoe level and drees the tbe foot level to receive tbe sboe and so you see he says hot fitting is tbe best, regardless of tbe iDJnry he does the foot or the damage he does tbe owner. I denounce hot fitting as tbe twin relic of barbarism. Scratches or Grease. J s a sure sign of neglect of the owner or driver by not 5 keeping tbe legs and feet clean. Tbe cavity above the hoof is furnished with a large number of seereting and excieting glands, and when the horse is in good health tbese glands or vessles keep tbe parts scft and lubricates the external portion and preserves tbem against friction, irration and disease, while the system is relieved of impure matter. Anything to check this or cause it to become irritated will have a tendency to 36 How TO Snos a Hoe?e. inflame and cause it to becoma sore. If taken in time EO trouble to cure. I have koowQ and cured capes with oaly wa^hiBg with good castife poap and batbing in Kalt water. If kept clea:s, and U5e the bealii-'g o ( t- ment they will soon bave it cured. Wbeo c-.f louc; stund- ing they are troublesome to cure and will tak« t^ou e- time; bat it is dangerous to get any of the matter ou your hand, and yon bad better be osreful. Giro con- dition powufcr-j t > get the system in good conditioc. Keep the stab?e clean and well ventilated and wit \ good oare they will heal aliright. Cracked heel*? may be tceated the eame as f^rr-ase or scratehr-s. TO WELD CAST STEEL. fo weld cast steol trtke one poand of borax, pulverize, and take one oz. each of carbooafce of iron and sal- ammoniac, mixtd well tog»^ther. A better wsy is to melt the borax snd sal-smmoniac together End when dry pul- verize aod mix in the iron. There is no better compound made for welding eteal. To restore burnt steel: "When }ou find your steel is burnt, don't hit it with the hammer bat plunge in cold water and cool it, heat again and work it; acd it as good as tver. To case-harden iren or f-teel, heat to a ch-rryr»d ami roll ia prussiateof potaeh; heat again^and cool off. TO TEMPER xMILL PICKS. Salt-peter and Alum each 2 z., Sal-ammoniac ioz., Salt lilbs., Soft water 3 gals. Heat to a cherry-red and cool. How TO Shoe a Hoese. 37 Recipes. HOOF OINTMENTS. No. 1. Neats-foot oil - 1 pint. Oil Oraganum - 4oz. Oil Tar - - 6 " Turpentine - - 6 " A nnmbar ooe! It acts as a linimeut on the foot. No. 2. Neats foot oil, Fieh oil and Turpentine equal parts. Is a good hoof oiatmtnt and keeps tbe foot soft. No. 3. 3 lbs. lard, one pint pine tar and one pint tur- pentine. Very good. No. 4. 1 gal. crude petroleum, 1 pint oil tar, i pint oraganum, and 1 pint turpentine. Is first- class to soften the hoof and take the soreness out. I have us=d all of tne above hoof ointments, and know thnt ihey are good and all of them but one are my o\Tr» pericription. Use them in all diseases of the feet siKh as quarter and toe crack, contracted feet, naviculur lameness, &c. &g. BLUE OINTMENT. R:>sin 4:^z., Verdigres |^")z., Turpentiae 2oz., Mutton taiiow 21bs , Oil oraganum |oz., Tiuet. iodine ^; z., mix well. Good for scratches, fistula, cut?, e^;. WHITE OINTMENT. For sprain?, bruises, swellingp,ete. Fresh but- 38 H©w TO Shoh a Hobse. ter 2lbs., Tincfc. iodine Joz,, Oraganum foz., mix well us» at night rubbing in well. A GOOD OINTMENT IS : Turpentine and lard, for flesh cuts or bruises. Or carbolic acid and water ia good for outs. I have cured bad cuts on horses with this alone. I naed the latter to cure nasal gleet in a mare and did cure her after a few applications. Pat a fine sponge on a slender stick 14 inches loag and put up the nose. THE SUN CHOLERA GUEE. This remedy I have used myself for ten years in my family, and know of a great many who used it with saccese. It will cure colic, cholera morbus, cramp or pain in the stom- ach, or bowels in five minutes either in man or horse. Is wcrth its weight in gold. Take equal parts of tincture of opium, capsi- cum, rheubarb, essence of pepermint, spirits of camphor; 15 to 30 drops for man every 20 to 30 minutes until relieved, and to horse 9 times as much. COLIC. Asafoetida lump large as thumb disolved in warm water will never fail to cure colic. MIXTURE FOR COLIC. Sweet spirits nitre IJoz., Tincture opium loz. Extract ginger ^oz. Mix and give as one dose in one-half pint of water. FOR COLIC. Perry Davis' Pain Killer, 25g bottle at one dcse. I knew it to cure a valuable stallion when How TO Shob a Hoese. 39 led out to die, and giren up by four good Veterinary B. Aud one dose done the work and cured him. REMEDY FOR HEAVES. Take arsenic just what will lay on the point of a pen-knife and give in feed two to throe times a week. COLDS IN HORSES. Give tar and burn tar under their nose, put sack over noee to make them breath all the smoke poesible and give the condition powders: rosin, gingar, snlpher and gentian equal parts; mix and give tablespoonful in feed twice a day. This is better than any you buy and does not coat half as much. WATTS' NERVE AND BONE LINIMENT. This liniment caonot be equaled for all kinds of sprains in horses or man, rheumatism, lame back, navicular lameness in horeee, etc. It will blister a horse in a few minutes. GREEN MOUNTAIN SALVE. Ro^io 51bs, Burgundy pitch. Bees-wax, and Mutton tallow each one-fourth of a pound; Oil of hemlock, Balsam of fir. Oil of oragan- um, Oil red cedar,and Venice turpentine each loz. ; Oil worm- wood one-half oz., Verdigris finely pulverized one oz. Melt the first arti- cles together and then add the oils; having mixed the verdigris with the ©ils, stir well and paur in cold water and work as wax. A very fiDe salve. In a great many cases of foot diseases or where the 40 How TO Shoe a Hoese. sjstem is deranged it will be necessary to give either condition'powdere or tonio powder, and yom should always bear in mind that the blood should be cleansed if not in healthy condition. Salts is about as good for the blood as you can get given in email do^es; for the general system the condition powers are good, and sometimes yoa will want a tonic powder or mixture. TONIO POWDERS, Sulphate of iron IJoz , Nitrate of potash loz., Fenugreek seed loz., Gentian loz., Capsicum 2 drams, Liosefd meal 4oz. Mix and give a tableepoonful night and morning. TONIO MIXTURE. Tincture of iron loz.. Tincture of Gentaia loz , Water lOoz. Mix well a«d give two tab'e- spoonsful three time a day. WATTS' VETERINARY HEALING OINTMENT. "Will cure all kinds of sores, barb-wire cute, burns, bruises, swellings on either animal or human flesh, corns on horse or man, boils or any skin disease, piles, erysipelas, gresse scratches, tkrush, etc. Either of the liniment or ointment, alwaj's kept on hand a+ my shop and pold in 25c, 50c, and one dollar bottles or box, or the two together. Send and get S5c samples of each, poet paid. Can furnish plenty of testimonala to the good of the above. TESTIMONIALS. This certifies that J. E. Watta commericed shoeing a mule for me, about harvest, that was so badly contracted that she could not be used on the road. I n^ver had any How TO Shoe a Hoese. 41 man tiioe her that could do the mule any good. But now, s-nce Me. Watts has ebod her and treated her feet, she travels allright. A. Ingeam, D3C. 24th, 1888. Grantville, Kap. This is to certify that I had a very lame horee. I took him to J. E. Watts and he fcund that con s had f.steied. He c peoed thtm well and put in his healing ointment and put on the shoes and tbe horse has no^ been lame since. He has shod tbe horse three bmes. Gto. W. Smith, Sept. 26th, 1889. Topeka, Kas. I TAKE pleasure in recommending Mr. J. E. Watts, Veterinarian aud Farrier of North TojDPka, to any one having a horse afflicted with lameness. My horse had been quite lame ia be th front feet for about two years when Mr. Watts began treatment, and a perceptable improvemeut followed his first shoeing. After bix months treatment with no loss of the use of my horse her feet seemed to be in perfect condition and all lame- ness gone. H. S. Eeecing, Feb. 25th, 1889. Topeka, Kas- Me. J. E. Watts has shod my horse for about one year, and when he began shoeing the horte phe had corns in both fore feet and they were also contracted, and interfered with her hind fi-et, all of which disappear- ed on account of h's treatment and shoeing. Oct. 1st, 1889. W. M. Pattee, Topeka, Kas. This is to certify that we have ahorse that had a bad/ quarter crack, and none of tbe blacksmiths ever helpe-^ it until Mr. J. E. Watt?, veterinary horseshoer, comme^x'- ced on him, and he has completely cured the qupr^®^ 42 How TO Shoe a House. crack, as also stopped lamentBS on another liorae that had corcB and contracted feet. Andekson & Sok:, Coal Dealers, Topeka, Kas. I BOUGHT a horse that had a qaarter crack of long standing and toek him to J. E. Watte, who has perform- ed a perfect cure and the feet are allright. Also stopped lameness on a horse that had corns. Never lost the use of horses a day in the time. E. L. Ball, Expressman, Topeka, Kas. To whom it may concern : This will certify that my carriage horae was affected with soft corns and at times quite lame. Since haviag him shod by Mr. Watts he has shown no signs of lameness. I believe him to be per- manently cured. I. W. Pack, North Topeka, Kansas. I HAVE used Watt's Veterinary Healing Oinment on my horse, that got hurt in a run away and it proved en- tirely satisfactory in every respect. I. F. Beery, North Topeka, Fans as. »,■ T WANT to say that J. E. Watts has cured a horse of contracted feet for me. I used the horse all the time. This will certify that I have cured a horse of sore neck with J. E. Watts' Veterinary Healing Ointment that had been sore two years; also one of my horses bit th^ other clear through the lip and the Ointment cured it in a few days. W. T. Craig, North Topeka, Kansas. How TO Shoe a Hokse. 43 WATTS' Nerve - and - Bone - Llnement for man or beast Has do equal for Sprains or Bruises, Lame Back, Eheumatism of Muscles or Joints in Man, and Swell- ing in Throat or Legs, Laminitis or Navicular Disease in Horses. Try it; and be convinced.. Put up in 25c, 50c and $1 sizes. If your dealer does not keep it address the manufacturer. Prepared only by J. E. Watts, No. 1020 Kansas Ave. North Topeka Kansas. WATT'S Veterinary Healing Ointment Is a remedy that no horseman or stock-raiser should b^, without, as it is a sure cure for all kinds of old sores, such as Fistula, Pole Evil, Boils, Sho© Boils, Harness or Saddle Galls, All kiods of Barbed Wire Guts, Sore Throat or Mouth, Lymphatitis, Swelling of the Legs, Thrush, Foot Rot, Scratehes, Grease Heels, Mange, Contracted Fe»t or Oorna in Horses. FOR MAN It is unsurpassed in the cure of Cuts, Burns, Bruises, Boils Salt Rheum, Eczema, Tetter, Itch, Erysipelas, Piles, Corns, and all kinds of skin diseases. Put up in 25o 50c and $1 packages. Prepared by J. E. Watts, No. 1020 Kansas Avenue. North Topeka, Kansas 4mm.,» mmZF^oS^s 002 863'gfi