106 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY. 



essential value in the service of man. Unfortunately these 

 are but too often liable to disease ; and the animal afflicted 

 with maladies of those parts is not only rendered less useful 

 to his possessor, but also less valuable in the market, as 

 the extremities embrace the entire apparatus of progressive 

 motion, and consequently that action in which mankind are 

 chiefly interested in this useful animal. 



To thoughtless and reckless masters, and careless, cruel, 

 and unthinking servants, this noble animal owes many 

 of his complaints, both internal and external. And what 

 is revolting to every humane mind, is, after the poor 

 animals are afflicted with a painful disorder, their unfeeling 

 masters too often continue to subject them to hard work 

 while they are labouring under acute suJBfering. Let any 

 man who has had a severe sprained ankle fancy to himself 

 that he was compelled to carry a heavy burden, or remove 

 a quantity of stones from one part to another by means 

 of a wheel-barrow, or suppose he were even forced to walk 

 at all, and what would be his sufferings ! The probability 

 is, he would be utterly unable to perform one or the other 

 task. But the poor horse has four legs, and probably 

 three of these are sound, and he is thereby not only able 

 to stand, but also to perform progressive motion ; but every 

 time the lame limb is put to the ground and borne upon, 

 his sufferings are equal to, if not worse than what man 

 himself would feel. 



It is the interest of every man to have his lame horse 

 rendered sound as speedily as possible ; and this, in most 

 cases, cannot be effected without allowing the animal a 

 cessation from labour ; and it is monstrous cruelty to subject 

 a horse to labour whilst under the influence of a painful 

 malady. The linger of contempt should be pointed at all 

 such unfeeling wretches. 



