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BULL HORNS
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<blockquote data-quote="dun" data-source="post: 607187" data-attributes="member: 34"><p>Turn off the cap locks</p><p>Get a horn weight and put it on the horn. It will take time but it can be done. From Rural Heritage on reshaping horns:</p><p>Shaving or Scraping</p><p>I have never tried this technique, but I know it works since I have seen many teams with horns that have been shaped this way. The procedure is quite simple: with a knife or other sharp instrument, shave or scrape the horn shell on the opposite side from the direction in which you wish the horn to grow.</p><p></p><p>If you wish to make a horn more upright, shave the back side. If you wish to widen the span, shave the insides of both horns. If you wish to narrow the span, shave the outsides. For a minor correction, one thinning may do the trick. For horns that are seriously imperfect, continue thinning until they shape up.</p><p></p><p>Remove about one-half of the shell's thickness, more or less, depending on how much you want to alter the direction of growth. If you shave too much, the horn will bleed, may become dangerously weak, and could possible break.</p><p></p><p>Since shaving does weaken the horn, shave only the part you wish to bend. If you weaken the entire shell, the horn will droop. Always leave the shaved horn perfectly smooth, then apply mineral oil to replace the natural protection you have removed.</p><p></p><p>Shaving works well, but doesn't allow the same control as using pressure or weights. With the latter, when the horn reaches the desired shape, you remove the pressure or weights. But after you have removed part of the animal's horn, you cannot replace it. So shave a little at a time and wait a few weeks to see what happens.</p><p></p><p>Since a young animal's horns change a lot over the first year, wait until your cattle are at least a year old before making any adjustments. Horn growth is especially dramatic in long-horned cattle, so don't be too quick to change the shape of your steer's horns.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Drew Conroy is author of Oxen—a Teamsters Guide and a regular contributor to RURAL HERITAGE. This article appeared in the Summer 1996 issue.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="dun, post: 607187, member: 34"] Turn off the cap locks Get a horn weight and put it on the horn. It will take time but it can be done. From Rural Heritage on reshaping horns: Shaving or Scraping I have never tried this technique, but I know it works since I have seen many teams with horns that have been shaped this way. The procedure is quite simple: with a knife or other sharp instrument, shave or scrape the horn shell on the opposite side from the direction in which you wish the horn to grow. If you wish to make a horn more upright, shave the back side. If you wish to widen the span, shave the insides of both horns. If you wish to narrow the span, shave the outsides. For a minor correction, one thinning may do the trick. For horns that are seriously imperfect, continue thinning until they shape up. Remove about one-half of the shell's thickness, more or less, depending on how much you want to alter the direction of growth. If you shave too much, the horn will bleed, may become dangerously weak, and could possible break. Since shaving does weaken the horn, shave only the part you wish to bend. If you weaken the entire shell, the horn will droop. Always leave the shaved horn perfectly smooth, then apply mineral oil to replace the natural protection you have removed. Shaving works well, but doesn't allow the same control as using pressure or weights. With the latter, when the horn reaches the desired shape, you remove the pressure or weights. But after you have removed part of the animal's horn, you cannot replace it. So shave a little at a time and wait a few weeks to see what happens. Since a young animal's horns change a lot over the first year, wait until your cattle are at least a year old before making any adjustments. Horn growth is especially dramatic in long-horned cattle, so don't be too quick to change the shape of your steer's horns. Drew Conroy is author of Oxen—a Teamsters Guide and a regular contributor to RURAL HERITAGE. This article appeared in the Summer 1996 issue. [/QUOTE]
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