Rational Horse Shoeing and Wagon Making
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with rules, tables, recipes, etc., useful to
manufactures, blacksmiths, machinists,
well-drillers, engineers, liverymen,
horse-shoers, farmers, wagon-makers,
mechanics, amateurs and all others who have
occasion to perform the work for which this
book is primarily intended.
the use of man, but there is no record made of it before the
time of Joseph, during the great famine in Egypt, when Joseph
exchanged bread for horses. During the exodus horses were
used more extensively, and in consequent wars we find the
horse used especially by great men and heroes. This noble
animal has always been held in high esteem by civilized people.
In wars and journeys and exploits, as well as for transports,
the horse is of immeasurable value. N a people cared for and
loved this animal as did the Arabs. The care and breeding of
horses was their main occupation, therefore their horses were
noted for intelligence, high speed and endurance. The English
and American thoroughbred has an infusion of blood of the Arab
horse, which has set the price on these animals. Pedigrees
were first established by the Arabs each country has its own
breed of horses. Horses of a cold climate are smaller in size, as
also are the horses of the tropics. The best horses are found in
the temperate zone. In Germany the horses are large, well
formed and strong. Norway and Sweden have a race of little
horses, and not until a few years ago did the people of these
countries know anything about pedigrees; their horses are
spirited and stronger in proportion to the size than any other
race of horses. In Sweden and Norway the farmer, with wife
and children, will walk many miles Sunday to church, while the
horses roam in the pasture or stand in the stable. Some
farmers will not hire out their team for money. The horses of
these countries are better taken care of than anywhere else, of
course with the exception of American race horses.
The horse in a wild state needs no shoes, the wear and
tear that the feet are subjected to while the horse is hunting
for his food in a wild country on soft meadows, is just right to
keep the hoofs down in a normal condition. But when the horse
is in bondage and must serve as a burden-carrying animal,
traveling 011 hard roads or paved streets, the horse must be
shod to prevent a foot wear which nature cannot recuperate.
Horseshoes were first made of iron in 480 A. D. Before that
time, and even after, horseshoes have been made of leather
and other materials.
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 little boy can learn the names of the bones and tendons in a horse's foot in
an hour, but this does not make a horse-shoer out of him. No board of examiners should 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 before, these names are easily learned, but practical horse-shoeing is not learned in hours; it takes
years of study and practice.
It is not my intention to treat 011 this subject. I could not; first, because there is 110t room for such a discourse,
second, there are numerous books on the subject better than I could write, available to every horse-shoer. I shall
only give a few names of such parts of the anatomy as is essential to know. What the horse-shoer wants to know is
the parts of the foot connected with the hoof, as his work is confined solely to the foot.
The horse must have been one of the first animals subjected to the use of man, but there is no record made of it
before the time of Joseph, during the great famine in Egypt, when Joseph exchanged bread for horses. During the
exodus horses were used more extensively, and in consequent wars we find the horse used especially by great men
and heroes. This noble animal has always been held in high esteem by civilized people. In wars and journeys and
exploits, as well as for transports, the horse is of immeasurable value. N a people cared for and loved this animal as
did the Arabs. The care and breeding of horses was their main occupation, therefore their horses were noted for
intelligence, high speed and endurance. The English and American thoroughbred has an infusion of blood of the Arab
horse, which has set the price on these animals. Pedigrees were first established by the Arabs each country has its
own breed of horses. Horses of a cold climate are smaller in size, as also are the horses of the tropics. The best
horses are found in the temperate zone. In Germany the horses are large, well formed and strong. Norway and
Sweden have a race of little horses, and not until a few years ago did the people of these countries know anything
about pedigrees; their horses are spirited and stronger in proportion to the size than any other race of horses. In
Sweden and Norway the farmer, with wife and children, will walk many miles Sunday to church, while the horses roam
in the pasture or stand in the stable. Some farmers will not hire out their team for money. The horses of these
countries are better taken care of than anywhere else, of course with the exception of American race horses.
The horse in a wild state needs no shoes, the wear and tear that the feet are subjected to while the horse is hunting
for his food in a wild country on soft meadows, is just right to keep the hoofs down in a normal condition. But when
the horse is in bondage and must serve as a burden-carrying animal, traveling 011 hard roads or paved streets, the
horse must be shod to prevent a foot wear which nature cannot recuperate. Horseshoes were first made of iron in
480 A. D. Before that time, and even after, horseshoes have been made of leather and other materials.
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