THE SOIL AND THE SHOE. 155 



through ravines, and up precipitous ridges, unshod, 

 and this to the evident advantage of their hoofs, for 

 these animals never suffer from contracted feet, or 

 from corns, sandcracks, &c, until they have become 

 civilised and been shod. 1 (Compare Lady Florence 

 Dixie's account, p. 25.) 



It may probably be objected that the ponies of 

 Exmoor and the wild horses or ' mustangs ' of America 

 have neither burdens to bear nor loads to draw. 

 We will meet both objections. 



We have just seen that the mustangs are ridden 

 by very heavy riders for long distances, and over the 

 hardest and roughest ground. We have also seen 

 that when the Indian rider trains his horses, he never 

 dreams of putting iron shoes on its hoofs, and that 

 the horse does this exceptionally hard work without 

 requiring shoes. 



Now I find that there is almost an invariable 

 point among objectors. They admit that horses 

 might get on without shoes under different circum- 

 stances from those in which they happen to be placed. 

 For example, those who live in low-lying and moist 

 districts, such as are found in the Fen countries, say 

 that horses might possibly do without shoes on hard 

 and hilly countries, whereas their hoofs would be 

 ruined by being always in contact with the roads 

 that pass through the damp soil of marsh land. 



