C 338 ] 



CHAP. VIII. 



ON THE ART OF SHOEING. 



T N treating this fubjecl:, feveral authors have 

 •*■ commenced, by giving broad hints, that in 

 reality fhoes were not abfolutely necelfary to 

 Horfes, and that under certain regulations, they 

 might be difpenfed with : that nature herfelf had ' 

 made fufficient provifion for the defence of the 

 foot, by furrounding it with a horny and callous 

 fubftance : that horfes required no other defence, 

 in their wild and natural ftate ; and that, more- 

 over, it had been immemorially the cuftom in 



fome countries, and thefe the moft hard and 

 flinty, to ride them without (hoes. Thefe rea- 

 fons are inconclufive even in fpeculation, but 

 are blown away in a moment, by the mere 

 breath of practice. 



There are no doubt men, as well as Horfes, 

 in fome uncivilized countries, which are habi- 

 tuated to travel barefoot, and their folcs be- 

 come hardened in confequence ; it is even prac- 

 tifed in fome of the remote and obfcure cor- 

 ners of our own ifland ; but I mould conceive 

 it no where generally practicable, at leafl not 

 with much convenience, except with thofe 

 wfcofe feet have a peculiar conftitutional hard- 



nefs. 



