CARE OF THE HOOFS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20098, 8 November 1928, Page 5

CARE OF THE HOOFS.

INFLUENCE ON DEVELOPMENT One usually remembers to trim his own finger-nails. If this is neglected, in the course of time one of them splits and pain results if the "quick" is torn or exposed. It is much more important to keep the hoofs of colts in proper shape and perfectly level, for the animal is on its feet, while man has got past that stage of locomotion "in front." On the levelness (says an authority in the Breeders' Gazette) will depend the plumb of the bones above. As the colt grows, so it will remain through life. If the feet are allowed to become uhlevel, they will throw the bony pillar above out of plumb, and it will remain that way unless the error is corrected at once, or, better still, prevented by attending to the feet at least onco a month during the pasturing season. Many of the worst cases of "winging," in or out, "padding," "brushing?," "interfering," and "speedy cutting" during hction are traceable to an unlevcl bearing of the foot during the growing time of life. It is as certain that some of the cases of "pigeon toe" and "splay foot" ' posture when standing may bo accounted for in like manner, and many a horse that otherwise would have a good gait and perfect action fails of that through faults of form which might have been prevented or corrected by timely rasping and trimming of the hoofs. We, therefore', believe in having every colt or filly stand on a platform scale, or any other level place, at least once a month for a careful inspection of its feet. When departures from normal and desirable shape and levelness arc detected, at such times they may be readily corrected by a few strokes of the hoof rasp, but sometimes a little paring with the knife or cutting with the buttress will be necessary. Faults that, have gone far, or existed "long, cannot always bo corrected by trimming, or tho injury to the leg above has become fixed and cannot wholly bo mended by foot trimming. Such work on tho feet is also necessary for show cattle, and the hoofs of all cattle may, now and then, require somo trimming to acquire a proper shape and size. We have seen a fine fat steer so lame in tho show ring that he failed to. wm a prize. Sound, level underpinning is imperatively neceswry for both horses and cattlo.