HOME OF THE HORSE. 191 



of the feet.' — (Xenophon's ' Hipparcliicus,' i.e. Horse- 

 mansliip, ch. iv. par. 3, 4, 5. Watson's translation.) 



Let us now try to act as a judge acts in summing 

 up a case at law when there is conflicting evidence. 

 He distinguishes between facts and surmises, refusing 

 to allow the latter to appear as evidence. In the 

 case of actual evidence differing, he impartially con- 

 siders both sides, and delivers his judgment according 

 to the value and weight of evidence. 



The first and chief argument in favour of the 

 iron shoe is, that the horse was intended for soft soil, 

 and not to wear out his hoofs by carrying heavy 

 weights or by drawing heavy carriages. Also, that 

 as we use hard and artificial roads, the horse's hoofs 

 need artificial protection. 



Per contra, it is urged that these statements are 

 mere assumptions, both of which can be contra- 

 dicted. 



In the first place, the original home of the horse 

 is in Central Asia, where the soil is hard and rocky. 

 In the next place, the worst of our artificial roads 

 is far easier for the hoof than the broken ground 

 which the wild horse traverses. In the next place, 

 it has been proved, and is an existing fact, that 

 unshod horses can do regular and hard work whether 

 they carry a heavy rider or whether they draw a 



