INTRODUCTION TO SIXTH EDITION. XllI 



Balance the feet and body, and every joint will work properly 

 in its journals, and every muscle will move with its greatest 

 yet most economical expenditure of force. The science of 

 horseshoeing must be studied, the same as any other science, 

 if 3"0U wish to become a successful farrier. 



I am indebted to Mr. S. T. Harris, of Cincinnati, the well- 

 known authority on all subjects relating to the welfare of the 

 horse, for his valuable assistance and suggestions opportunely 

 given while I was pursuing the investigation of the principles 

 of this work, and continuing through an association of more 

 than forty years. 



Knee-Hitting and Its Causes. — First, locate the cause ; 

 when that is removed, the effects will cease. There are cases 

 that are very hard to overcome. I will call your attention to 

 some of them : Splay-foot, or nigger-heel; in some the pas- 

 terns lean in ; some the knees lean in ; in others the chest is too 

 narrow ; in some cases cross-firing, speedy-cutting. Some- 

 times the cause is in the teeth. If the horse carries his head 

 and neck to one side, it will unbalance the front part of the 

 body. If the horse figlit the bit in his mouth, the fault 

 is in the teeth. I liave known cases where the horse was 

 fighting the bit in the mouth, and pulling his head and 

 neck to one side, and in liis fast work was a chronic knee- 

 hitter ; after having his teeth thoroughly treated and the sharp 

 edges on them removed by a comj^etent veterinary dentist, he 

 would carry his head and neck on a line with his body in his 

 fast work, quit fighting the bit in his mouth, and never hit 

 his knees afterwards. These were cases where the fault was 

 in the mouth and teeth. Unbalanced feet and illy-constructed 

 and badlv-fittiniy shoes are sometimes the cause. 



I liave called the attention of my readers to some of the 



