ON THE
ROUGH-SHODDING OF HORSES
IN
FROSTY WEATHER.
It is manifest, that a considerable increase of pressure on the Heels naturally follows—so that Lameness frequently attends the practice of Frosting even for a short time.
The ordinary method of Frosting is by taking a Shoe off, heating it, and turning up the Heel and Toe; but this being Iron only, it lasts, for any efficient purpose, but a short time; and if hard worked, the same process must be repeated almost daily, as long as the Frost continues.
It is evident that the Hoof must suffer most severely by such a continued and repeated perforation with the Nails; so that if a Frost should happen to last a Month or two, it is probable there would be scarcely horn enough left to nail a Shoe on with safety. When Frosting is required, I have found that by Steeling the Heels, and if a Draft Horse, the Toes also, that they will last considerably longer, and consequently diminish the frequency of Driving Nails. A much shorter Rough will answer, and the usual head will not need to be so much altered.—Goodwin on Shoeing Horses, 8vo. p. 280. 1824.
The usual charge for Roughing the Shoes of Coach Horses, is 2s. 8d. per Horse.
To perform the operation so sensibly recommended by Mr. Goodwin, will cost but little more, and the Shoes will certainly last much longer.
Mr. T. Clark recommends the following plan:—
“When the Roads, &c. are covered with Ice, it becomes necessary to have the Heels of the Shoes turned up, and frequently sharpened, in order to prevent Horses from slipping and falling. As this cannot be done without the frequent moving of the Shoes, which breaks and destroys the crusts of the Hoofs where the Nails are drove, to prevent this, I have always recommended to those who were willing to be at the expense, to have Steel Points screwed into the Heels or quarters of each Shoe, which might be taken out and put in as required.
“The method of doing this properly, is first to have the Shoes fitted to the shape of the Hoof; then to make a small round Hole in the extremity of each heel, or in the quarters, about three-eighths of an inch in diameter or more, in proportion to the breadth and size of the Shoe: in each of these holes a screw is to be made: the Steel points are likewise to have a screw on them exactly fitted to that in the Shoes. Care must be taken that the Screw on the points is no longer when they are screwed into the Shoe than the thickness of the latter. The Steel points are to be made sharp; they may either be made square or triangular. The height of the point above the Shoe should not exceed half an inch for a Saddle Horse: they may be made higher for a Coach Horse.
“The Key or Handle that is necessary to screw them in and out occasionally, is made in the shape of the Capital letter T, and of a sufficient size and strength: at the bottom of the handle there is a socket or cavity, properly adapted to the shape of the Steel point, and so deep as to receive the whole point that is above the Shoe. In order to prevent the screw from breaking at the neck, it will be necessary to make it of a gradual taper: the same is likewise to be observed of the female screw that receives it; that is, the hole must be wider on the upper part of the Shoe than the under part: the sharp points may be tempered or hardened, in order to prevent them growing too soon blunt; but when they become blunt, they may be sharpened as at first. These points should be unscrewed when the Horse is put into the Stable, as the Stones will do them more injury in a few minutes there, than a day’s riding on Ice. A Draught Horse should have one point on the Toe of each Shoe, as that gives him firmer footing in drawing on ice; but for a Saddle Horse, when they are put there, they are apt to make them trip and stumble.”