144 



increased by the horses not having been pro- 

 perly prepared for the journey. 



Every man of common observation must 

 perceive hovi^ difficult it is for a horse to keep 

 his feet in v^inter, particularly on an ascent or 

 descent, when they are plated with iron. 



Horses used for the draught of the baggage 

 in an army, or for heavy artillery, ought always 

 to have their shoes turned up a good deal in 

 frosty weather, and forked in the m.anner be- 

 fore described •, but when there is no frost, the 

 common way will answer. It is always of use 

 to assist draught-horses in their pull, and the 

 turn up should be higher to the hind shoes 

 than to those before, as it lowers the shoulder, 

 and gives them a greater purchase. Observe 

 the feet of a draught horse at a dead pull up an 

 ascent, and you will find that he first strains 

 against the weight from his toes, stretching 

 the back sinews of the legs very forcibly, and 

 the heel comes gradually to the ground. If 

 the heel, therefore, has a high turn-up, it 

 meets the ground, and places the foot some- 

 what on a level ; but if there be no turn-up, 

 the heel is greatly lowered, and the horse's 

 weight falls backwards j and instead of gaining 



