COST OF SHOEING. 439 



relates to the horse's foot. Many of them are men ignorant of 

 the deHcate anatomy comprising these extremities, and take 

 upon themselves the responsibility of applying remedies for 

 a defect which seems to them similar to one they have seen 

 or heard treated of with good results. The cause and seat 

 of the trouble are matters of indifference, and like all wise- 

 acres they refuse to use the little common sense that was 

 given to them and jump at conclusions which are in most 

 cases wrong. If their experiment fails the defect is pro- 

 nounced incurable, but if by chance the animal is afforded 

 temporary or lasting relief the veterinary quack's confidence 

 in his ability to treat any defects of the feet is still further 

 strengthened. It is not the writer's intention to convey the 

 impression that the opinions of all farriers are to be dis- 

 trusted. There are some intelligent, practical men whose 

 advice is worthy of much consideration, but they are unfortu- 

 nately in the minority. 



Authorities differ but little in their advice regarding the 

 shoeing of a well-formed, sound animal. If the reader's 

 horse does not go well when shod, according to the principle 

 set forth by such well-known authorities as are here cited, 

 and the attempts of a reliable veterinary to counteract the 

 defect by a special form of shoe results unfavorably, the owner 

 is advised to dispose of the animal rather than make the 

 poor beast a subject for experiment with one blacksmith after 

 the other. If the physical defect is serious, the horse cannot 

 be made sound by any ingenuity on the part of the farrier. 



COST OF SHOEING. 



The actual cost to the farrier of removing old shoes and 

 putting on a set of ordinary iron new ones is about one 



