HORSE-SHOEING

The horse in a wild state needs no shoes, the wear and tear that the feet are su
bjected to while the horse is hunting for his food in a wild country on soft mea
dows, is just right to keep the hoofs down in a normal condition. But when the h
orse is in bondage and must serve as a burden-carrying animal, traveling on hard
roads or paved streets, the horse must be shod to prevent a foot wear which nat
ure cannot reuperate. Horseshoes were first made of iron in 480 A. D. Before tha
t time, and even after horseshoes have been made of leather and other materials.
Fig 52: Toe and side weight and plain racing plates, as manufactured by Bryden H
orse Shoe Co.
ANATOMY
It is necessary in order to be a successful horse-shoer to know something about
the anatomical construction of the feet and legs of the horse. Of course, any li
ttle boy can learn the names of the bones and tendons in a horse's foot in an ho
ur, but this does not make a horse-shoer out of him. No board of examiners shoul
d allow any horse-shoer to pass an examination merely because he can answer the
questions put to him in regard to the anatomy of the horse, for as I have said b
efore, these names are easily learned, but practical
Fig 53: Toe and side weight and plain racing plates, as manufactured by Bryden H
orse Shoe Co.
horse-shoeing is not learned in hours; it takes years of study and practice.
It is not my intention to treat on this subject. I could not; first, because the
re is not room for such a discourse, second, there are numerous books on the sub
ject better than I could write, available to every horse-shoer. I shall only giv
e a few names of such parts of the anatomy as is essential to know. What the hor
se-shoer wants to know is the parts of the foot connected with the hoof, as his
work is confined solely to the foot.rmed and strong.