ON THE FOOT 131 



since made myself acquainted with the operative part 

 of preparing a horse's foot for his shoe with the drawing 

 knife, under the tuition of a first-rate performer from 

 the College. Having done so, I was ever afterwards 

 enabled to direct those who shod my horses, and found 

 the best effects from my instructions. In one instance, 

 in particular, I found them of infinite advantage. I 

 went to spend the summer months, a few years since, 

 with a friend who resided in the interior of the prin- 

 cipality of Wales ; and conceiving that gentle exercise 

 at that period would be serviceable to two valu- 

 able hunters I then possessed, I took them with me. 

 Dreading the uncontrolled operation of the butteris 

 in the hands of a Welsh blacksmith, I took my drawing 

 knife with me, and the first time my horses wanted 

 shoeing I prepared their feet myself. Contrary to 

 my expectation the Welshman approved of and 

 profited by the example I set him ; and, in a very 

 few lessons, became a shoer on the principles of 

 nature, which was also of no small importance to my 

 friend, who had eight coach horses (seven greys and 

 a piebald) in his stable at the time, which Messrs 

 Tattersall afterwards sold for him for as many hundred 

 pounds. 



Were I to purchase a horse at a large price I should 

 certainly like to see him with a fine circular foot, 

 sound, elastic frogs, and strongly-defined bars. I should 

 like to see the hoof full in the front, free from ribs or 

 seams, and of a blue shining colour. But when I have 

 seen all this, am I to imagine that I have got a horse 

 whose feet are secure from disease ? Am I to imagine 



