SHOEING. 145 



great credulity of the owner, by the plau- 

 sible fiction of the experienced adept in im- 

 position, who is always prepared to report, 

 one the effect of a kick, the other a bite. 

 Dangerous as these practices are to horses of 

 any age or qualifications, they are doubly so 

 to young ones ; for a degree of severity and 

 ill usao;e at their first and second shoeini^s 

 very frequently fixes in the disposition an 

 habitual aversion to Stnitlis, and a reluctance 

 in approaching their shops^ never after to be 

 obliterated by any means whatever ; and how- 

 ever opinions may clash upon the subject of 

 extreme severity to horses, I shall continue 

 to persevere in the truth of my former asser- 

 tion,— if they are innately tunid, vicious, or 

 restive, unconditional violence alone will ne- 

 ver make them better. 



Having found it unavoidable to introduce 

 remarks that are not only evidently con- 

 nected with, but necessary to usher in the 

 subject, we now proceed to such superficial 

 knowledge of the operative part, as it is 

 absolutely requisite every person should be 

 in possession of, who wishes to understand 

 and retain the power to direct a method of 



VOL. II. L 



