THE horse's foot, AND HOW TO SHOE IT. 231 



the pride of a noble to desire to excel in protecting 

 the feet of his gallant steed ; and no one, either noble or 

 base-born, could presume to touch a foot to fit a shoe to 

 it, unless he had been regularly and fully instructed in 

 the art of farriery, any more than a physician could now 

 be admitted to practise, or a lawyer to plead, unless 

 they had gone through the necessary medical or legal 

 study. By this method the smiths were made intelli- 

 gent, and worthy of popular support; and, to every 

 young man wishing to acquire the art of farriery, means 

 were not lacking. But to-day, and especially in this 

 country, our young men are not taught at all, and can- 

 not be taught, save as to the merest inechanical part of 

 the trade ; because the person under whom they are is 

 as ignorant as they are touching the anatomy of the 

 horse's foot, and the literature of the subject, which is 

 rich in suggestion and fact ; and, indeed, differs from the 

 apprentice in nothing save as to his years. In such a 

 state of things, no advance in proficiency can be made. 

 Each generation has the same knowledge, and lack of 

 knowledge, as the preceding ; and the poor horse con- 

 tinues to suffer. 



In addition to this, we must add another consideration, 

 in order that the statement of our position may be ac- 

 curate; viz., that, if the smiths are ignorant, the owners 

 of horses, for the most part, are even more so. Inquire 

 among your acquaintances, and you will find that not one 

 man in a hundred has any idea of the subject at all. He 

 reads an advertisement in praise of some patent shoe, 



