210 ON THE HACKNEY AND HUNTER. 



nary rings ; at others, deep, thick, and clubbed, 

 and the Horfe, though found, goes in a fumb- 

 ling way. I have, now and then, feen Welch 

 Horfes with this laft defcription of feet, which 

 foon become lame in the ftable. Soft feet, and 

 low tender heels, may do great fervice through- 

 out, with bar fhoes, and conftant attention. 

 Bred hacks are apt to have the feet too fmall ; 

 and often you will find Horfes, with feet of the 

 right black flint colour, and to all appearance 

 unexceptionable, and yet they will (land no 

 fervice on the road. 



Aliquando bonus dormitat Homerus, and I 

 think Dr. Bracken's wits mud have been at 

 any rate fleepy, when he corrected Sir William 

 Hope, for the affertion, that tender -footed horfes 

 bear heavy upon the hand; a faft, of which I 

 have had long, and troublefome conviftion. 

 We do not often catch the good Doclor 

 napping; but I can mention a'nother inftance. 

 To oblige his friend, Sir William Parfons, as 

 it mould feem, Bracken difgraced his excellent 

 work, by inferring a cruel and ridiculous pre- 

 tended remedy for cutting behind; which was, 

 to fallen a knotted whip-cord between the 

 horfe's thighs: as if the infliclion of tortures, 

 could polfibly change mal-conformation, or 

 flrengthen weaknefs. How like to the cruel 

 fophiftries of ignorant and cold-hearted politi- 

 cal quacks, who punifli misfortune in terrorem. 



Heavy- 



