Practical Farriery - A Guide for Apprentices and Junior Craftsmen

By C. Richardson

This vintage book contains a detailed guide to horse shoeing, originally intended for novices and apprentices. Written with the beginner in mind, it is highly accessible and profusely-illustrated, making it perfect for modern horse owners both existing and prospective. “Practical Farriery” contains a wealth of timeless information and would make for a useful addition to equestrian collectors. Contents include: “The Hoof”, “Structure of the Hoof”, “Growth of the Hoof”, “The Bones of the Leg and Foot”, “Joints and Ligaments”, “Tendons and Other Elastic Tissues”, “The Flexor Pedis Perforatus Tendon”, “Strained Tendon”, “Concussion”, “Lateral Cartilages”, “The Plantar Cushion”, “The Coronary Cushion or Band”, “Mucous Bursae”, etc. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new introduction on the care and maintenance of horses.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Jan 15, 2013
• ISBN: 9781447484479

Book preview

CHAPTER I

THE HOOF

PRESENT-DAY conditions have altered the outlook of farriers very considerably and it is a very rare thing to-day to find a business run solely as a farriery or horse-shoeing concern. There are still many heavy draught-horses, hunters, and, in certain districts, racers; and, thanks to the interest and work of the Horse and Pony Club, the Horse Association of Great Britain, and others, quite a few hacks and ponies survive; but the hackney or roadster is almost gone, never to return, owing to the advent of speedier means of transport. The result is that the vast majority of businesses now combine the work of farriery with general smithing and agricultural engineering repairs. It is none the less just as important as formerly that the craftsman should have a sound working knowledge of the principles of farriery.

No matter with what breed of horse we are concerned, it is essential for both owner and farrier to understand the construction, or the anatomy as it is called, of the foot and leg. With a fair knowledge of this it can be more easily decided what should and should not be done both in health and sickness. Ideas concerning the structure of these important parts, however, are often extremely vague.

Structure of the Hoof

Let us commence with a study of the hoof itself. At the foetus stage the hoof was formed in the course of development by a matting together of hair at the extremity of the limb. At birth the sole and frog are usually only imperfectly formed and are awaiting pressure on the ground to perfect their form, while a fringe of hair is often to be seen around the ground surface of the wall or outer crust—this fringe of hair is quickly broken off when the hoof comes into contact with the ground. We can therefore say that the hoof is a modified mass of hair, and it maintains this character throughout its life. This modified hair is known as horn.

TABLE SHOWING PERCENTAGE COMPOSITION OF HOOF HORN

An analysis of horn shows it to be chiefly animal matter with traces of fats, salts, and soluble matter; different parts have different compositions.

FIG. 1. THE HOOF

Although continually growing the hoof is virtually dead matter, being the insensitive horny covering of the sensitive structure of the foot. For the purpose of explanation we can divide the hoof into various parts, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2: (i) the Wall or Crust, which is that part which is seen when the foot is on the ground or when the horse is standing; (ii) the Sole; (iii) the Frog; (iv) the Bars; (v) the White Line; (vi) the Periople; (vii) the Horny Laminae; (viii) the Coronary Groove or Cavity.

The Wall is not quite the hard, solid substance it appears to be at the first glance, being in reality composed of three kinds of horn—

(a) A mass of hair-like tubes called tubular horn, resembling fine fibres in appearance and growing from the sensitive and vascular covering of the coronary band. All of these very fine tubes are attached to and grow from the papillae of the coronary band or cushion. Each one of these tiny papillae (cone-like points) secretes the material for its one particular horn tube.

(b) The intertubular horn, also secreted and produced by the coronary cushion, is a glutinous horn substance cementing the horn tubes into the solid-looking mass as we usually see it.

(c) The intratubular or cellular horn consists of broken-down cells deposited inside the horn tubes, from the extreme points of the papillae, and resembles the pith to be found in certain round-stemmed plants. The chief function of this cellular horn appears to be as a conveyer of moisture.

FIG. 2. THE GROUND SURFACE OF THE FOOT

The Sole and Frog are composed of the same kinds of horn, but the horn tubes assume a more irregular wavy line than they do in the wall, and the frog is composed more of the glutinous intertubular horn than of the tubular.

The Bars are a continuation of the wall at the heels, turning inwards or inflecting at the heels and continuing alongside the frog until about half-way towards the frog point, when they become merged in the sole.

The White Line, so called because of its lighter colour, is a narrow ring or strip situated between the sole and the wall and forming the union of the two. It is a soft, waxy horn containing about fifty per cent of natural moisture secreted and produced by a few papillae, which are situated on the extreme lower border of the sensitive laminae.

The Periople is a thin, varnish-like horn growing from the papillae or the perioplic ring. Its use is to cover and protect the young horn of the wall and to prevent undue evaporation of moisture from the wall; it also joins the skin to the horn of the wall. When distended with moisture, for example, after a night in wet grass, it is plainly seen, but it quickly dries out and is not then very noticeable. The perioplic ring is situated round the extreme upper border of the coronary cushion or band.

FIG. 3. VERTICAL SECTION THROUGH THE CENTRE OF THE FOOT

The Horny Laminae are thin, flat plates of horn standing out at right angles from the interior surface of the wall and interlocking with the sensitive laminae (thin fleshy vascular leaves) which cover the pedal bone and the lateral cartilages forming a secure union of the hoof to the sensitive foot. The number of laminae in a hoof is between 500 and 600 of each kind, and represents a large amount of bearing surface packed away in a small compass. It is estimated that if the laminae (both kinds) of a single hoof of average size were spread out they would cover a space of 8 sq ft, thus giving to a horse of average size a bearing surface of 32 sq ft. By this wonderful provision of Nature a large bearing surface to carry a bulky carcass is provided in a compact form.

The Coronary Groove or Cavity runs around the top of the wall and the coronary cushion fits into it. An examination with a magnifying glass will reveal in this cavity a very large number of tiny holes—the commencement of the horn tubes of the wall. In life the papillae of the coronary cushion fit each into its own particular horn tube, thus carrying on the work of secretion and growth. Generally speaking the wall grows from the coronary cushion. The laminal sheath of the wall, however, or the innermost section of the wall, is secreted by the sensitive laminae.

Growth of the Hoof

The average thickness of the wall is about 1/2 in. and of the sole about 3/8 in. To keep the hoof elastic and resilient the wall should contain between