< CUTTING ' AND c BRUSHING.' 39 



by the natural play and action of the muscles and 

 tendons of the legs, to put down his foot in a 

 natural manner in search of a natural i tread ; ' and 

 so they continue to oppose his innate desire, until 

 they bring about sprain, and ultimately contraction, 

 of sinews. This is the reason that so many horses 

 are to be seen walking on their toes (in London, cab 

 horses may any day be seen which have to trot upon 

 them), and the back sinews are often divided by 

 veterinary surgeons to enable the horse to go on 

 working at all. If the twist should be on one side 

 it will bring about side-bone (or ossification of the 

 cartilages of the foot), or splints, or something else 

 where undue and unnatural strain or friction is 

 thrown : especially is it the cause of ' cutting.' No 

 unshod horse was ever known to ' cut ' or ' brush ; ' 

 but the shaping of the foot to the shoe is often the 

 cause of this defect. The only alleviation for it, when 

 once produced, is to study the * tread ' of which the 

 horse is in search in order to free himself from it 

 (it is not likely that he is seeking to make things 

 worse for himself), and then humour his instinct, 

 instead of thwarting it, or looking upon it as per- 

 versity on his part, and opposing his exertions to 

 get free from it. The ingenuity which some people 

 are capable of displaying, when they have fully 

 made up their minds to oppose nature, is wonderful. 

 They always break down, but, like true Britons, they 

 are always ready to come to the charge again; 

 it is only deferred for them until the next meeting. 

 It is a shocking abuse of pluck, all the same. 



