34° ON THE ART OF SHOEING. 



among the Eaflern nations, is of ancient ori- 

 gin. Their horfes (hoes are defcribed to me as 

 round, following the fhape of the foot, and 

 much lefs fubftantial than ours. The bafis of 

 the prefent European method, I fhould fup- 

 pofe, derived from the middle ages. 



In Italy, the true art of fhoeing has been 

 long known, but, perhaps, has never obtained 

 generally in that country, any more than elfe- 

 where. Csefar Fiafchi, who publifhed a book 

 on horfemanfhip, in Italian, nearly three hun- 

 dred years ago, lays down a very rational and 

 natural method of (hoeing, equal indeed, in 

 mod: refpects, to that of any modern writer. It 

 was he who invented the calkin, for the outfide 

 extremity of the hinder (hoe, flyling it rampo- 

 nealla regonefa ; but he directed it to be made, 

 not high and {harp, but rather flat and hand- 

 fomely turned upward, decrying ftrenuoudy all 

 other kinds of calkins, and turning up of the 

 (hoes, even in cafe of froft, as of infinitely 

 more danger than real ufe. He recommends a 

 welted fhoe, of hard and well-tempered iron, 

 flat, and fo placed upon the foot, that the horfe 

 may tread perfectly even ; to prevent flipping, 

 the welts to be indented like a faw, or fhort 

 and fharp button-headed nails to be ufed ; to 

 the fame end, he farther directs the external 

 furface of the fhoe to be hammered fomewhat 

 concave. St. Bel claims the invention of this 



laft 



