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,,horse-,,shoeing4  by  ,,wildair4      
,,prefix4   ,since the publication of   
this little volume we have made changes 
in our horse shoe with a view to adapt  
it especially to ,army use4 ,our design 
has been to make a shoe that any ,army  
farrier can apply in a cold state       
without the use of any other tool than a
 knife to prepare the hoof1 and a hammer
 to drive the nails4 ,our success in    
this attempt has been so complete that  

we are now using the pattern designed   
especially for ,army use in all our     
contract work4  ,the shoe is rolled     
without a heel calk1 so that the        
frog-pressure may be readily secured    
without heating and drawing the         
iron3--the nail holes are punched so    
that the nail furnished by us with the  
shoe may be driven1 without the use of  
the pritchel to punch out the holes4    
,the shoe1 being made of the best       
quality of iron1 may be bent cold to    
adapt it to the shape of the hoof4      
,officers will at once see what a vast  
saving there is in the transportation of
 shoes--requiring no forge with its     
heavy outfit--and which are less than   
half the weight of the clumsy old       
patterns4     ,illustration3 ,,the      
,,village ,,blacksmith4     ,,rational  
,,horse-,,shoeing4  by  ,,wildair4      
,with ,illustrations4       ,new ,york3 
,published by ,wynkoop and ,hallenbeck1 
,no4 #aac ,fulton ,street4 #ahgc4       
,entered1 according to ,act of          

,congress1 in the year #ahgc1 by        
,wynkoop  ,hallenbeck1 in the ,office of
 the ,librarian of ,congress at         
,washington4     ,,introduction4   ,in  
presenting the observations contained in
 the following pages1 we are aware that 
we appeal to practical men who judge by 
results1 and have but slight patience   
with mere theory4 ,we wish1 therefore1  
to state clearly at the outset1 that the
 system of horse-shoeing herein         
advocated1 and the shoe offered by us to
 accompany it and accomplish its        
purpose1 are the result of years of     
patient study of nature1 and actual     
experiment2 and that although we have   
had to contend with ignorance and       
interest on the part of the farriers1   
and indifference and prejudice on the   
part of owners of horses1 we have       
finally succeeded in interesting the    
most practical and capable men in       
,america1 ,england1 and ,france in the  
matter2 and1 at the time of this        
publication1 thousands of horses1       

engaged in the most arduous labors of   
equine life--upon railways1 express     
wagons1 transfer companies1 and other   
similar difficult positions--are        
traveling upon our shoes1 their labors  
lightened by its assistance1 their feet 
preserved in a natural1 healthy state1  
and their lives prolonged to the profit 
of their owners and the advancement of  
that cause--one of the evidences of the 
progress of our age in true             
enlightenment--which has for its        
beneficent object the prevention of     
cruelty to the dumb and helpless        
companions of our toil4     ,,general   
,,observations4   ,the first application
 of the ,goodenough shoe is almost      
invariably to the feet of horses        
suffering from some one of the forms of 
foot disease1 induced by the unnatural  
method of shoeing4 ,our system is       
intended for sound horses1 to supply the
 necessary protection to the feet1 and  
to keep them in a healthy condition4    
,our rules for shoeing1 embodied in our 

circular of instructions1 are applicable
 to sound horses1 and disease must be   
provided for as exceptional4  ,men are  
careless and1 as a rule1 unobservant2   
they go on in the old way until the     
horse flinches in action or stands      
pointing in dumb appeal to his owner1   
telling with mute but touching eloquence
 of his tight-ironed1 feverish foot1 the
 dead frog1 and the insidious disease1  
soon to destroy the free action         
characteristic of health4 ,it is when   
this evidence brings the truth home to  
him that the neglectful master1 eager to
 relieve the animal1 tries our system4  
,to such masters we must say1 do not    
expect that the imprudence and neglect  
of years can be remedied in an instant4 
,the age of miracles long ago passed    
away4 ,we do not propose to cure by     
formula1 or bell and book4 ,there is no 
laying on of hands--no magical touch of 
an enchanter's wand4  ,remember always  
that pain is the warning cry of a       
faithful sentinel on the outpost1 that  

disease is at hand4 ,disease is the     
punishment following a violation of the 
laws of nature1 and can only be escaped 
by restoring natural conditions4        
,remember also1 that ,nature1 so called 
by ,hippocrates1 the earliest systematic
 writer upon medicine1 never slumbers   
nor fails in duty1 but strives with     
unerring1 active intelligence to prevent
 disease1 or to cure it when it can not 
be prevented4  ,when the measures and   
processes of the physician are in       
harmony with the natural intention1     
disease may be cured2 when they are     
adverse in application1 the patient     
dies1 or recovers in spite of art4  ,a  
great ,french philosopher powerfully    
remarked3 ,nature fights with disease a 
battle to the death2 a blind man armed  
with a club--that is1 a physician--comes
 in to make peace between them4 ,failing
 in that1 he lays about him with his    
club4 ,if he happens to hit disease he  
kills disease2 if he hits nature he     
kills nature4  ,we wish to be understood

 that in all things we would assist and 
facilitate the action of nature1 under  
the artificial restraints of the horse4 
,if we fail in this1 or offer           
obstruction1 our occupation is gone4    
,the world has no time to listen to our 
theory1 no use for our practice4 ,and we
 hope that the thoughtful readers of    
these pages will see in our intention1  
an earnest1 honest purpose and belief1  
and that1 without affectation of science
 or pretense of superior knowledge1 we  
base all our efforts upon nature and    
common sense4  ,in following our        
instructions and attempting to use our  
method1 have patience1 and note the     
result from day to day4 ,the horse will 
quickly tell you4 ,his action will      
expose quackery and unmask pretension4  
,he will be no party to a fraud1 no     
advocate of an advertisement4   ,,sound 
,,horses4  ,a sound horse is1 after man1
 the paragon of animals4 ,in form and   
moving how express and admirable6 ,his  
frame is perfect mechanism1 instinct    

with glowing life1 and guarded by the   
great conservative and healing powers of
 nature from disease and death4 ,his    
vitality is surpassed by that of man1   
because man has the endowment of soul1  
and in his human breast hope springs    
eternal and imagination gives fresh     
powers of resistance4 ,like man1 the    
horse conforms cheerfully to all        
climates and to all circumstances4 ,he  
is equally at home--      ,whether where
 equinoctial fervors glow     ,or winter
 wraps the polar world in snow4  ,amid  
the sands of ,arabia his thin hide and  
fine hair evidence his breeding2 in the 
frozen north his shaggy covering defends
 him from the cold storms and searching 
winds4 ,the disadvantages under which he
 will work are in no way so clearly     
illustrated as in his efficiency when   
exposed to the evils of shoeing4 ,placed
 upon heel-calks1 to slip about and     
catch with wrenching force in the       
interstices of city pavements1 or loaded
 with iron-clogs1 to give him           

knee-action and to untie his shoulders1 
he bravely faces his discomforts and    
does to the best of his ability his     
master's will4  ,how quickly his active 
system responds to intelligent care and 
shows its beneficial results6 ,and when 
relieved from the abuses of ignorance1  
his recuperative powers re-establish the
 springing step of youth4     ,,chapter 
,i4  ,,evils ,,of ,,common ,,shoeing4   
,every horseman finds his chief         
difficulty in the fact that he has to   
protect the natural foot from the wear  
incident to the artificial condition in 
which the horse is placed in his        
relation to man4 ,in those important    
industries where great numbers of horses
 are used1 and the profit of the        
business depends upon the efficiency of 
the animal1 the question becomes a very 
serious one1 and the life term of the   
horse1 or the proportion of the number  
of animals that are kept from their     
tasks by inability1 make the difference 
between profit and loss to the great    

transportation lines that facilitate the
 busy current of city life4 ,but        
notwithstanding the importance of this  
subject1 upon the score equally of      
economy and humanity1 the world is1 for 
the most part1 just where it was a      
thousand years ago1 possibly worse off1 
for the original purpose of shoeing was 
only to protect the foot from attrition 
or chipping1 and but little iron was    
used1 but1 as the utility of the        
operation became apparent1 the smith    
boldly took the responsibility of       
altering the form of the hoof to suit   
his own unreasoning views1 cutting away1
 as superfluous1 the sole and bars1     
paring the frog to a shapely smoothness1
 and then nailing on a broad1 heavy     
piece of iron1 covering not only the    
wall but a portion of the sole also1    
thus putting it out of the power of the 
horse to take a natural1 elastic step4  
,in a short time the hoof1 unbraced by  
the sole and bars1 begins to contract1  
the action of the frog upon the ground1 

which in the natural foot is            
threefold--acting as a cushion to       
receive the force of the blow and thus  
relieve the nerves and joints of the leg
 from concussion1 opening and expanding 
the hoof by its upward pressure1        
quickening the circulation and thereby  
stimulating the natural                 
secretions1--this all important part of 
the organization1 without which there is
 no foot and no horse1 becomes hard1    
dry1 and useless4 ,then follows the     
whole train of natural consequences4    
,the delicate system of joints inclosed 
in the hoof feel the pressure of        
contraction1 the knees bend forward in  
an attempt to relieve the contracted    
heel4 ,in this action the use of the leg
 is partially lost4 ,the horse endeavors
 to secure a new bearing1 interferes in 
movement1 or stands in uneasy torture4  
,nature frequently seeks relief by      
bursting the dry and contracted shell1  
in what is known as quarter or toe      
crack1 and the miserable victim becomes 

practically useless at an age when his  
powers should be in their prime4  ,every
 horseman will acknowledge that his     
experience has a parallel in the picture
 here presented4 ,many men have at      
various times attempted reform1 but the 
difficulty heretofore encountered has   
been that the mechanical application was
 in the hands1 not of the owners and    
reasoners1 but in those of a class of   
men who are1 for the most part1         
ignorant1 prejudiced1 and1 consequently1
 apt to oppose any innovation upon the  
old abuses in which they have had       
centuries of vested right2 and it was   
not until the studies of ,mr4 ,r4 ,a4   
,goodenough that there were brought to  
bear veterinary knowledge1 mechanical   
skill1 and inventive faculty1 to        
overcome the stolidity and interest     
which have been the lions in the way of 
true reform4     ,,chapter ,,ii4  ,,frog
 ,,pressure4   ,that portion of the hoof
 called the frog1 performs the most     
important visible function in the       

economy of the movement of the horse4   
,it is intensely vital and vigorous4    
,the greater its exposure and the       
severer its exertion1 the more strenuous
 is the action of nature to renew it4   
,it is the spring at the immediate base 
of the leg1 relieving the nervous system
 and joints from the shock of the       
concussion when the ,race ,horse        
thunders over the course1 seeming in his
 powerful stride to shake the solid     
earth itself1 and it gives the ,trotter 
the elastic motion with which he sweeps 
over the ground noiseless upon its      
yielding spring1 but1 if shod with heavy
 iron1 so that the frog does not reach  
the ground to perform its function1 his 
hoofs beat the earth with a force like  
the hammers of the ,cyclops4  ,with the 
facility to error characteristic of the 
unreasoning1 it has been one of the     
opinions of grooms and farriers that    
this callous1 india-rubber-like         
substance would wear away upon exposure 
to the action of the road or pavement1  

and it has been one of their cherished  
practices to set the horse up upon iron1
 so that he could by no possibility     
strike the frog upon the ground4  ,in   
addition to this violation of nature1   
they pare away the exfoliating growth of
 the organ1 and trim it into the shape  
that suits their fancy4  ,without       
action1 muscular life is impossible1 the
 portion of the body thus situated must 
die1 paralyzed or withered4 ,motion1    
use1 are the law of life1 and the frog  
of the horse's hoof with a function as  
essential and well-defined as any       
portion of his body is subject to the   
general law4 ,without use it dries1     
hardens1 and becomes a shelly           
excrescence upon a foot1 benumbed by the
 percussion of heavy iron upon hard     
roads4 ,this is a loss nature struggles 
in vain to repair1 the horse begins to  
fail at once4 ,the elastic step1 which  
in a state of nature spurned the dull   
earth1 becomes heavy and stiff1 and the 
unhappy brute experiences the evils     

partially described in the previous     
chapter4  ,to restore the natural action
 of the foot by putting the bearing on  
the frog1 is the chief object of the    
system we advocate1 and the ,goodenough 
shoe is designed especially to provide  
for that first and last necessity4 ,if  
this is accomplished with a sound horse1
 he will avoid the thousand ills that   
arise from the usual method1 and1 so far
 as his feet are concerned1 he will     
remain sound4  ,if the shoe is adopted  
as a cure for the unsoundness already   
manifested in animals that have been    
deprived of the proper use of their     
feet1 it will cure them1 not by any     
virtue in the iron itself1 nor by any   
magic in its application1 but simply by 
giving beneficent nature an opportunity 
to repair the ruin that the ignorance of
 man has wrought upon her perfect       
handiwork4  ,this part of our subject is
 so important that we shall return to it
 again in subsequent chapters1 and      
enforce it at every point4              

,illustration3 ,,goodenough             
,,shoe--,,front4     ,,chapter ,,iii4   
,,description ,,of ,,the ,,goodenough   
,,shoe4   ,from the representation of   
the shoe in the cut1 its peculiar       
conformation will be observed1 and the  
reason for these changes from the common
 form we shall endeavor to explain as   
clearly as possible4 ,in the first      
place1 it is very light1 scarcely half  
the weight of the average old-fashioned 
shoe4 ,the foot surface is rolled with a
 true bevel1 making that portion of the 
web which receives the bearing of the   
hoof1 the width of the thickness of the 
wall or crust4 ,this prevents pressure  
upon the sole1 and makes the shoe a     
continuation of the wall of the foot4   
,the ground surface of the shoe has also
 a true bevel1 following the natural    
slope of the sole1 and bringing the     
inner part of the shoe to a thin edge4  
,the outer portion is thus a thick      
ridge1 dentated1 or cut out into cogs or
 calks1 allowing the nail-heads to be   

countersunk4 ,this arrangement gives    
five calks--a wide toe-calk1 the usual  
heel-calks1 and two calks1 one on each  
side1 midway between the toe and        
heel--thus putting the bearing equally  
upon all the parts of the foot4  ,this  
calking has a double object4 ,in the    
common system of shoeing1 to avoid      
slipping in winter upon the ice1 and in 
the cities upon the wet1 slimy surface  
of pavement1 or to assist draft1 it is  
customary to weld a calk upon the toe of
 a shoe1 and to turn up the heels to    
correspond4 ,in this motion the horse is
 placed upon a tripod1 his weight being 
entirely upon three points of his foot1 
and those not the parts intended to bear
 the shock of travel or to sustain his  
weight4 ,the position of the frog is of 
course one of hopeless inaction1 and the
 motion of the unsupported bones within 
the hoof produce inflammation at the    
points of extreme pressure1 so that1 in 
case of all old horses accustomed to go 
upon calks1 there is ulceration of the  

heels1 in the form of corns1 which the  
smith informs the owner is the effect of
 hard roads bruising the heel from the  
outside2 he usually cuts out the corn1  
and puts on more iron in the form of a  
bar shoe4 ,or the same action which     
produces corns1 acting upon the dead1   
dry1 unsupported frog and sole1 breaks  
the arch of the foot so that a drop sole
 is manifest1 or pumiced foot1 for both 
of which a bar shoe is the unvarying1   
pernicious prescription4 ,in the        
,goodenough shoe1 the calks are         
supplied1 and the weight so distributed 
that the objection to the old method    
does not exist4   ,,countersinking ,,the
 ,,nails4  ,this is a point to which we 
call attention as of great importance4  
,in shoeing a horse for light or rapid  
work with a common flat shoe1 seven or  
eight nail-heads protrude1 and take the 
force of his blow on the ground4 ,the   
foot has just been pared1 and those     
nails1 driven into the wall and pressing
 against the soft inside horn and       

sensitive laminae1 vibrate to the quick1
 and often cause the newly-shod horse to
 shrink1 and show soreness in traveling 
for a day or two4 ,no matter how        
skillfully shod1 the horse will be all  
the better in escaping this unnecessary 
infliction4   ,,the ,,bevel ,,of ,,the  
,,foot ,,surface  ,is to keep the shoe a
 continuation of the crust or wall of   
the hoof1 and to avoid percussion upon  
the sole4   ,,the ,,bevel ,,on ,,the    
,,ground ,,surface  ,is to follow the   
natural concavity of the foot and to    
give it the form which will have no     
suction on wet ground1 will not pick up 
mud1 or retain snow-balls4   ,,the      
,,calks  ,have a use fully explained4   
,when the shoe thus described is set so 
as to secure frog-pressure1 as          
hereinafter directed1 a horse may be    
shod without violation of nature's laws2
 foot disease1 under fair conditions1   
will become almost impossible1 and the  
useless refuse-stock1 broken down by the
 old method1 may be restored to         

usefulness4     ,illustration3          
,,goodenough ,,shoe--,,back4            
,,chapter ,,iv4  ,,how ,,to ,,shoe      
,,sound ,,feet4   ,if a foot came to the
 farrier in a perfectly normal          
condition1 never having been subjected  
to the destructive process of common    
shoeing1 the directions for putting on  
the ,goodenough shoe would be simply1 to
 dress the foot by paring or rasping the
 wall until a shoe of proper size laid  
upon the prepared crust would give an   
even bearing with the frog all over the 
foot2 then1 as the calk wore away1 the  
pressure would come more and more upon  
the frog and the foot would retain its  
natural state during the life-time of   
the horse4  ,a colt thus shod could not 
have a corn1 for a corn is an ulcer     
caused by the wings of the coffin-bone  
pressing upon a hard1 unelastic         
substance4 ,when the horse raises his   
foot the coffin-bone is lifted upward by
 the action of the flexor tendon2 when  
his foot touches the earth the weight of

 the animal is thrown upon the same     
bone1 and1 if unsupported by the natural
 cushion of the foot1 the action of the 
bone pressing the sensitive sole upon   
iron causes the bruise which1 for lack  
of another name1 is called a corn4 ,the 
horse thus shod would never have a      
quarter crack1 for that is the immediate
 effect of contraction caused by the    
absence of the expanding action of the  
frog and the consequent dead condition  
of the hoof from want of circulation and
 proper secretions4 ,the horse would be 
equally free from drop and pumiced sole1
 seedy toe1 thrush1 and kindred         
complaints4   ,,incipient ,,unsoundness4
  ,illustration3 ,,foot1 ,,showing      
,,shoe ,,and ,,frog4  ,it is almost     
impossible to find a horse perfectly    
sound in his feet1 unless one looks     
7strange as it may seem7 into the       
stables of the ,third ,avenue ,railroad 
,company1 or those of ,adams' ,express1 
or ,dodd's ,transfer ,company1 or into  
some of the other stables where our shoe

 and system are in faithful use2 we will
 therefore call attention to such a case
 as will be generally presented at the  
forge3 ,a good young horse1 shod for    
several years upon the common plan1 and 
in the early stages of contraction4 ,we 
find he has on wide-web shoes1 weighing 
about twenty ounces each2 these may be  
smooth in front and calked behind2 they 
bear upon the sole and heel4 ,in place  
of a frog1 we discover a point of hard1 
shrunken1 cracked substance1 neither    
frog nor sole4 ,we cut the clenches and 
take off the relic of ignorance and     
barbarism1 throwing it with hearty      
good-will into the only place fit to    
receive it--the pile of scrap-iron4 ,we 
examine carefully to see that no stub of
 nail is left in4 ,the heels will be    
found long and hard4 ,our object being  
frog-pressure1 to get the vivifying     
action of this tactile organ upon the   
ground1 we pare down the whole wall2 we 
soon come to signs of a corn--perhaps a 
drop of blood starts2 but as we do not  

intend to put the weight upon the heels1
 we are not alarmed4 ,having cut all we 
can from the heels and still finding    
that the frog1 when the shoe is laid on1
 can not touch the ground1 we knock down
 the last two calks and draw the heel of
 the shoe thin2 this must give us a     
bearing upon the frog and the sound part
 of the foot4 ,we use the lightest shoe1
 truly fitted with the rasp1 not burned 
on4 ,the horse should then be worked    
regularly1 and he will experience at    
once the benefit of a return to first   
principles and natural action4          
,illustration3 ,,foot1 ,,with ,,shell   
,,removed4     ,,chapter ,v4  ,,simple  
,,cases ,,of ,,contraction4             
,contraction1 in a greater or less      
degree1 is exhibited by all horses1 of  
every grade1 that have been shod in the 
common way1 except in those more        
unfortunate cases that have resulted in 
a breaking of the arch of the foot1 from
 lack of the natural frog support1 when 
the phenomena of dropped sole are found1

 and the usual accompaniment of pumiced 
feet4  ,it may seem superfluous to say  
that the power and action of the horse  
are greatly restricted by contraction4  
,the cartilaginous fibre that forms the 
bulk of the substance of the foot behind
 the great back sinew is squeezed into  
narrow space1 the working of the joints 
compressed1 and inflammation at the     
joints1 or at the wings of the          
coffin-bone1 is excited2 in worse cases 
navicular disease is established1 or1   
from inadequate circulation1 thrush     
holds possession at the frog1 or        
scratches torment the heels4  ,when     
simple contraction--shown in the narrow 
heel1 dried and shrunken frog1 and      
pegging motion of the horse--is the     
case1 our design is at once to restore  
the natural action of the foot4 ,this   
must be done by expansion1 and that is  
to be had from frog-pressure1 according 
to the directions in the preceding      
chapters4 ,if navicular disease has     
commenced1 and the animal is decidedly  

lame1 we have a difficult case4 ,the    
membrane of this important bone1 in some
 cases of contraction1 becomes          
ulcerated1 and the bone itself may be   
decayed1 or adhesion between the        
coffin-bone and the navicular and       
pastern may take place4 ,without        
expansion there is no possibility of    
relief2 local bleeding1 poulticing1 and 
all the drastic drugs of the veterinary 
will be invoked in vain4   ,,quarter    
,,and ,,toe ,,crack4  ,illustration3    
,,quarter ,,crack--,,full ,,shoe4  ,this
 disease1 usually attributed to heat1   
dry weather1 weak feet1 etc41 is one of 
the common symptoms of contraction1 and 
can be entirely cured with the greatest 
ease2 nor will it ever recur if the hoof
 is kept in proper condition4  ,if the  
case is recent1 shoe as advised in our  
paragraph upon ,incipient ,unsoundness1 
being sure to cut the heel well down1   
putting the bearing fully upon the frog 
and three-quarters of the foot4 ,if the 
hoof is weak from long contraction and  

defective circulation1 lower the heels  
and whole wall1 until the frog comes    
well upon the ground1 and shoe with a   
slipper1 or tip1 made by cutting off a  
light shoe just before the middle calk1 
drawing it down and lowering the        
toe-calk partially4 ,this will seem     
dangerous to those who have not tried   
it1 but it is not so4 ,the horse may    
flinch a little at first1 from his      
unaccustomed condition1 and from the    
active life that will begin to stir in  
his dry1 hard1 and numb foot1 but he    
will enjoy the change4 ,the healing of  
the crack will be from the coronet down1
 and it is good practice to cut with a  
sharp knife just above the split1 and to
 clean all dirt and dead substance out  
from the point where you cut1 downwards4
 ,soaking the feet in water will        
facilitate a cure by quickening the     
growth of the hoof2 or1 a stimulating   
liniment may be applied to the coronet1 
to excite more active growth4 ,bear in  
mind that expansion is not from the sole

 upwards1 but from the coronet          
downwards4   ,,toe ,,cracks4  ,the cause
 of this defect is the same as in       
quarter crack4 ,it appears in both fore 
and hind feet4 ,clean the crack well1   
cutting with a sharp knife the dead horn
 from each side of it2 shoe as advised  
for quarter crack1 or for the purpose of
 getting expansion and natural action of
 the dead1 shelly hoof4 ,the dirt and   
sand may be kept out of the crack by    
filling it with balsam of fir1 or pine  
pitch4 ,keep the horse at regular work4 
,illustration3 ,,quarter ,,crack--,,half
 ,,shoe4     ,,chapter ,,vi4  ,,drop    
,,sole ,,and ,,pumiced ,,foot4   ,this  
miserable condition of the abused animal
 is ,nature's fiercest protest against  
the ignorance and carelessness of man4  
,a horse set upon heavy shoes1 and those
 armed with calks at toe and heel1 such 
as are usually inflicted upon large     
draft-horses1 has his whole weight      
placed upon the unsupported sole4 ,the  
frog never comes in contact with the    

earth in any way1 inflammation of the   
sensitive frog and sole takes place1 and
 the arch of the sole bends down under  
the pressure until the ground surface of
 the hoof becomes flat or convex1       
bulging down even lower than the cruel  
iron that clamps its edge4 ,this is the 
condition of a drop sole4 ,this         
degenerate state of the foot has other  
complications4 ,active inflammation is  
often present and all the wretchedness  
of a pumiced foot--the despair of owner 
and veterinary--is experienced4 ,the    
smith1 whose clumsy contrivance has been
 the cause of all the woe1 has abundant 
reasons to offer for the disease1 and   
his unfailing resort of the ,bar ,shoe4 
,this atrocious fetter is supplemented  
with leather pads1 sometimes daubed with
 tar1 and the horse hobbles to his task4
 ,not unfrequently the crust at the     
front of the hoof sinks in1 adhering to 
the sole2 circulation being cut off1    
,,seedy ,,toe  is then manifest4  ,the  
only possible relief from these         

complications is in natural action4     
,contraction is not present1 but we want
 circulation1 new growth and absorption2
 we obtain it by dressing the foot      
smoothly with the rasp and putting the  
bearing evenly upon the frog and a light
 shoe1 which should be merely a         
continuation of the wall of the foot4   
,many very bad cases shod in this way   
have been relieved4 ,no grease or tar   
should ever be used4   ,,contraction1   
,,or ,,drop ,,sole1 ,,with ,,soreness   
,,at ,,the ,,toe4  ,shoe as previously  
directed1 and rasp or cut the sole and  
wall at the toe into a slightly hollow  
shape1 so that you could pass a         
knife-blade between the hoof and shoe4  
,the object of this is to relieve the   
hoof from pressure at this point4 ,in   
cases where the toe is thin and weak1 or
 where there is inflammation extending  
to the point of the frog1 remove as much
 of the sole pressing against the frog  
as seems feasible1 and level the        
toe-calk1 so that the horse will bear   

upon the frog and side-calks4  ,it is   
often well to free a shrunken frog from 
the binding growth of sole that has     
closed in upon it1 and in cases of      
contraction1 where this is done1 a horse
 will recover the action of the frog    
with less difficulty than where that    
organ is sole-bound4   ,,thrush4  ,this 
is a filthy1 fetid disease of the frog4 
,by many veterinary writers it is       
attributed entirely to damp stables1    
general nasty condition of stall1 yard1 
etc4 ,mayhew ingenuously remarks1 in    
addition1 that it is usually found in   
animals that step short or go groggily1 
and that the hoof is hot and hard4      
,youatt comes to the point at once in   
saying that it is the effect of         
contraction1 and1 when established1 is  
also a cause of further contraction4 ,it
 is manifest in a putrid discharge from 
the frog4 ,the matter is secreted by the
 inner or sensible frog1 excited to this
 morbid condition by pressure of        
contraction4 ,its cure is simple and    

easy if the cause is removed4 ,a wash of
 brine1 or chloride of zinc1 three      
grains to the ounce of water1 is        
generally used to correct the foulness4 
,,chapter ,,vii4  ,,bent ,,knees        
,,interference1 ,,and ,,speedy ,,cut4   
,the knee of a horse is a most          
complicated and beautiful mechanical    
arrangement1 singularly exempt from     
strain or disease in any form4 ,bony    
enlargement1 inflammation of the        
ligaments1 do not attack it4 ,the ravage
 of the shoeing-smith--the horse's      
direst enemy--seems to be exhausted upon
 the feet and the sympathetic pasterns2 
the concussion of iron and pavement1    
uncushioned by the frog1 will destroy   
the lower system of joints before the   
knee can be shaken4  ,notwithstanding   
this perfection and strength1 many      
horses bend the knee1 and stand1 or     
travel with it bent1 until the flexor   
muscles shrink from lack of use4 ,this  
over in the knees condition is          
invariably caused by imperfect use of   

the feet4 ,the effect of heel-calks and 
their accompaniment of corns1 making a  
sore in each heel1 is often indicated by
 the horse to his regardless owner by   
bending his knee4 ,the owner asks the   
smith why he does it1 and the smith1 who
 never fails to give a reason1 says he  
has always noticed that horse had weak  
knees4 ,we know of a shoer in ,worcester
 ,county1 ,massachusetts1 who has a wide
 local reputation for doctoring weak    
knees4 ,he holds that the muscles of the
 leg in such cases are too short1 and   
have to be lengthened with thick iron   
heels and calks4 ,it is a favorite      
theory of this class of shoers that they
 are able to correct the errors of      
,providence in the horse's construction1
 and piece him out with heel-calks and  
bar-shoes6   ,,interfering ,,and        
,,speedy ,,cut4  ,if horses were not    
shod1 they would not interfere2 it      
therefore follows that shoeing is the   
cause of this defect4 ,a contracted     
hoof1 pain from corns1 or any           

inflammation causes a horse to seek a   
new bearing4 ,in doing this he strikes  
himself4 ,blacksmiths make interfering  
shoes1 welding side-pieces and          
superfluous calks upon their clumsy     
contrivances1 and sometimes succeed in  
preventing the symptom1 but they never  
remove the cause4 ,few horses with      
natural feet1 good circulation1 and shod
 with a light shoe1 will ever interfere4
 ,in all such cases1 take off the heavy 
shoe1 cure the contraction1 get an even 
bearing1 and let nature have at least a 
momentary chance4   ,,working ,,up      
,,horses4  ,it is a common practice of  
large proprietors1 engaged on railroad  
or city work1 to buy up horses with     
unsound feet1 unfitted for speed or     
gentle service1 and use them up1 as old 
clothes are put through a shoddy-mill   
for what wool there is left in them4    
,this cruel policy1 under an intelligent
 system of shoeing1 would be impossible1
 because the vast aggregate of foot     
diseases would be so abated that horses1

 sound in general health but creeping   
upon disabled hoofs1 could not be found 
in droves1 as at present1 and the       
speculator in equine misfortune would   
better serve his selfishness by buying  
young horses and keeping them sound by a
 natural system of shoeing4             
,,stumbling ,,horses4  ,this annoyance  
is frequently caused by undue use of the
 toe1 when the heel is lame and sore    
from contraction and corns4 ,when the   
horse has the frog well on the ground   
and uses his heel without shrinking he  
is not apt to stumble4   ,,to ,,increase
 ,,comfort4  ,in dry weather1 or when a 
horse with a hard1 lifeless hoof is shod
 with the ,goodenough shoe1 and shrinks 
from the unaccustomed pressure of the   
frog on the ground1 nothing is so       
grateful to his feet as cold water4 ,the
 hose turned on them is a delicious     
bath2 or if he can stand for an hour in 
a wet place1 or in a running brook1 he  
will get infinite comfort from it4 ,we  
have sometimes rapidly assisted the cure

 of contraction1 in the city1 by        
manufacturing a country brook-bottom in 
this simple way3 ,put half a bushel of  
pebbles into a stout tub1 with or       
without some sand1 let them cover the   
bottom to the depth of two or three     
inches1 pour on water and you have a    
good imitation of a mountain brook4 ,put
 the horse's forefeet into this1 and let
 him bear his weight upon the frog4 ,the
 first time he will grow uneasy after a 
few minutes1 but when his frog becomes  
natural in its function he will be glad 
to stand there all day4  ,do not carry  
this treatment to excess4 ,moderation is
 the most satisfactory course in all    
things4 ,abjure utterly all oils and    
greasy hoof dressings1 they are         
pernicious recommendations of           
unreasoning grooms4 ,they fill the pores
 of the wall1 and injure in every way4  
,nature will find oil1 if you will allow
 circulation and secretion1 through the 
action of the frog4  ,stuffing the feet1
 is another wretched1 groom's device4 ,a

 horse has a dry1 feverish hoof from    
contraction1 so his hollow sole1 denuded
 of its frog1 is stuffed with heating   
oil-meal1 or nasty droppings of cows4   
,when this sort of thing is proposed1   
remember ,punch's advice to those about 
to be married1 ,don't do it4            
,,chapter ,,viii4  ,,economy ,,of ,,the 
,,goodenough ,,shoe4   ,a horse-shoe    
that the united voices or the shrewdest 
and ablest managers in the country      
commend--inasmuch as it enables cripples
 to work1 frequently restores them1 and 
maintains soundness where that quality  
exists--need not be recommended on the  
ground of economy4 ,such a horse-shoe   
could not be dear4 ,but it takes all    
sorts of people to make a world1 and the
 pressure to the square inch of mean men
 is not to be governed by safety-valves 
or regulated by gauges4 ,there are too  
many men who will use the thing that    
costs the least outlay1 even if it      
tortures or kills the horse4 ,on the    
point of first cost we may say that if  

our shoe had no advantage over the      
hand-made shoe in preserving the natural
 action and growth of the foot1 thereby 
retaining the powers of the animal in   
full vigor1 it would still be cheaper   
than the common shoe4 ,it is sold       
slightly higher than the clumsy pieces  
of bent iron called horse-shoes by mere 
courtesy1 and its lightness gives       
one-third more shoes to the keg1 while  
there is no expense of calking1 which1  
in labor and material1 is equal to three
 cents per pound4 ,upon the point of    
durability1 it is well settled that the 
heavy shoe will not last so long as the 
light one with frog-pressure4 ,a horse  
set upon heavy shoes grinds iron every  
time he moves4 ,the least interposition 
of the frog will reduce the wear very   
materially1 and if the frog is well on  
the ground1 a horse will carry a shoe   
until he outgrows it4  ,a horse-railroad
 superintendent said to the writer1 ,we 
don't wear iron nowadays1 we wear frog  
and cobble-stones2 nature provides frog 

and ,boston finds cobble-stones4 ,when  
the ,goodenough shoe is put for the     
first time upon a dry1 half-dead foot1  
and the frog brought into lively action1
 growth is generally very rapid4 ,we    
have often been compelled to reset the  
shoe1 cutting down the wall1 in ten days
 after shoeing4 ,many horses that have  
been used upon pavements and            
horse-railroads1 have acquired a habit  
of slipping and sliding along1 catching 
with heel-calks in the space between the
 stones2 such horses do not at once     
relinquish the habit1 and wear their    
first set of our shoes much more rapidly
 than the subsequent set1 after they    
have assumed the natural action of their
 feet4 ,but1 economical as a light shoe 
that will long outlast a heavy one may  
be1 the great saving is in the item of  
horse-flesh4  ,the value of the horses  
employed in the actual labor of the     
country reaches a startling sum total4  
,the vast importance of the horse in the
 movement of business1 was never so     

fully understood and deeply felt as     
during the year past1 when the epizootic
 swept over the continent1 paralyzing   
all movement and every form of human    
industry4 ,even the ships that whiten   
the seas would furl their sails and     
steamers quench their fires but for the 
labors of the horse4 ,during the        
epidemic the canal-boats waited idly for
 their patient tow-horses and railroads 
carried little freight2 the crops of the
 ,west lay in the farmers' granaries and
 the fabrics of the ,eastern loom and   
varied products of mechanical industry  
crowded the warehouses2 even the        
ragpicker in the streets suspended his  
humble occupation1 for the merchant1    
unable to transport rags1 refused to buy
 them of the gatherer4 ,the investment  
of national wealth in horses being so   
enormous1 any means that adds to the    
efficiency of the horse greatly enhances
 the general prosperity4  ,illustration3
 ,,perfect ,,shoe ,,and ,,hoof4         
,illustration3 ,,imperfect ,,shoe ,,and 

,,hoof4  ,it is an old ,english saying1 
that a good horse will wear out two sets
 of feet4 ,the meaning of this adage is 
obvious3 a good horse's feet are useless
 at the time when his other powers are  
in the prime4 ,mr4 ,edward ,cottam1 of  
,london1 in his ,observations upon the  
,goodenough ,system1 states that ,london
 omnibus-owners use up a young horse in 
four years2 that is1 a horse of seven   
years of age goes to the knackers at    
eleven1 pabulum ,acherontis2 and the    
only noticeable cause of their failure  
is from diseases of the feet4 ,a horse  
properly shod and cared for should      
endure five times as long4 ,in this     
country horses fail in the feet1 and are
 called old at an age when they should  
be in the fullest activity4 ,this is a  
double loss1 for every horseman of      
experience knows that if an old horse is
 sound and vigorous he has some great   
advantages over a young one4 ,he is     
safer in every respect1 way-wise1       
seasoned1 steady1 and reliable4 ,he and 

his owner are old friends and companions
 and can not part but with a pang of    
regret4 ,a good horse1 well cared for1  
should work cheerfully until he is      
thirty years of age2 yet how few are    
able to perform genteel service after   
fifteen6 ,it is a sad sight that of the 
high-mettled1 noble animal1 once the    
petted darling of wealth1 caressed by   
ladies and children1 and guarded so that
 even the winds of heaven might not     
visit him too roughly1 fallen through   
the successive grades of equine         
degradation1 until at last he hobbles   
before a clam-wagon or a swill-cart--a  
sorry relic of better days4  ,the       
question is so plain that we hesitate to
 argue with intelligent people to prove 
that1 if the old system of shoeing      
destroys the value of a horse in middle 
life1 half his money value is sacrificed
 to ignorance--a waste that might be    
saved were nature's laws regarded4 ,that
 part of the argument which demands that
 the faithful1 devoted servant merits   

humane treatment and the best           
intelligence of the master in securing  
his health and comfort can not be       
forgotten and need not be urged upon the
 attention of the true horseman4        
,,final ,,observations4   ,to be        
rational in any course of action is1    
primarily1 to follow the leading of     
reason1 and by that guidance to arrive  
at correct conclusions4  ,it is the     
opposite to the method which is         
irrational--regardless of reason1 and   
therefore leading to conclusions        
erroneous and absurd4 ,rationalism is   
opposed to ultraism1 to vehement1       
officious and extreme measures--while it
 would seek more excellent ways1 it     
holds fast to that which is good4       
,rationalism in medicine is the method  
which recognises nature as the great    
agent in the cure of disease1 and       
employs art as an auxiliary to be       
resorted to when useful or necessary1   
and avoided when prejudicial4  ,in our  
treatment of the hoof1 we would seek to 

know the cause of the horse's troubles1 
firmly believing that he is endowed by  
nature with strength to perform the     
service man demands of him1 and that he 
is not necessarily a helpless prey to   
torturing diseases of the minor organs2 
and1 indeed1 subject only to that final1
 unavoidable sentence1 which in some    
form nature holds suspended over all    
animate existence4  ,having by the aid  
of reason ascertained the cause of      
defects1 we would assist nature to      
relieve them2 we have therefore called  
this little hand-book of suggestions    
from our experience1 ,,rational         
,,horse-,,shoeing4   ,,opposing         
,,forces4  ,having taken upon ourselves 
to reform evils1 rooted deep in old     
customs1 and to abolish abuses older    
than our civilization1 we have to meet  
with discouragement and opposition in   
various forms4  ,even the enlightened   
and well-intentioned hold back          
incredulous4 ,this form of opposition   
finally examines1 being led thereto from

 motives of economy and the promptings  
of humanity2 it usually approves and    
assists1 but is often carried back by   
indolence1 when it discovers that it    
must join us in the loud battle we are  
forced to wage all along the line       
against fierce interests and bitter     
prejudices4  ,we attack with slender    
array1 but unflinching purpose1 the     
gloomy powers of ignorance that are     
allied to doubt and indifference4 ,these
 contend under the prestige of a        
thousand years of possession4           
,ignorance and ,prejudice are twin      
giants that renew their life upon each  
other2 they are as old as chaos1 and are
 invulnerable to the weapons of ordinary
 warfare4 ,like the fallen angels1 they 
are--            ,vital in every part1  
,and can but by annihilation die4  ,one 
of the ,greek fables1 typifying the     
struggle of man against circumstances1  
was a story of the battle between       
,hercules and ,antaeus1 son of the      
,earth4 ,the fight was long and         

doubtful1 for whenever the mortal was   
felled to the ground by the power of the
 vigorous god1 his force was renewed by 
contact with the breast of his mother   
,earth1 and he sprang to his feet and   
recommenced the never-ending strife4    
,this contest between the god1 and the  
mortal born of earth and sea1 is the    
poetical type of the unceasing toil of  
man in the ,valley of the ,nile1 against
 the sandy waves of the ,lybian desert1 
always encroaching upon the cultivated  
soil1 and demanding year by year new    
exertions to repress their advance4     
,so1 in our attempt to establish a      
better system of utilizing the powers of
 the horse in the service of man1 we    
have each day to meet the same enemy1   
renewed by contact with the sources that
 foster and reinforce ignorance4 ,but as
 persistent labor conducted the         
beneficent waters of the ,nile in       
irrigating channels through the arid    
plain of the desert1 until upon the     
inhospitable edge gardens bloomed1      

fields of grain waved in the breeze1 and
 the date-palm cast its grateful shade  
upon the husbandman--so we make         
healthful progress1 and enjoy a widely  
increasing triple reward--first1 in the 
thankful esteem of our fellow men2      
secondly1 in the relief we afford to a  
noble animal2 and last1 in the          
substantial return which the highest    
authority has adjudged to honest labor4 
,,regular ,,work4  ,we wish all readers 
of this book to understand that the     
directions herein given for shoeing     
apply to horses whose owners expect them
 to work regularly after shoeing--from  
the very hour in which the shoes are    
set4  ,we do not propose to lay up      
horses1 or to put them to rest in loose 
boxes1 nor yet to turn them out to      
grass4 ,one of the chief difficulties we
 have had with wealthy owners has been  
from the tendency to keep the horse out 
of work when we have got him into a     
condition where we want exercise to     
stimulate the alterative process we     

propose4  ,a cure of any foot disease we
 have described1 will be much more      
rapidly effected if the horse has his   
regular work upon the roads or pavements
 to which he is accustomed1 no matter   
how hard they are4  ,we hope that it has
 also been noticed1 that we do not      
propose to cure spavins1 splints1       
navicular disease1 or to restore the    
natural action of a horse where         
ossification of cartilage is well       
established4