ON THE ART OF SHOEING. 355 



cafe here. The feeling, well-being, and fafety 

 of theie noble animals, are facrificed to the con- 

 temptible confideration of a difference in the 

 price of iron. For cheapnefs fake, the fofteft 

 and the moil ordinary is made ufe of; in courfe, 

 the (hoes are required to be of an immenfe 

 weight and fize to bear a large horfe, without 

 bending under him. Shoe-moulds, ready-made, 

 of this foft inferior iron, are, I am given to un- 

 derftand, purchafed at a low price from the 

 founderies, by the blackfmiths in general. 



By a flrange abfurditv, as cart-horfes are fhod 

 in a more unnatural and prepofterous method 

 than any other defcription, fo there is infinitely 

 lefs occafion, and lefs excufe for it. Although 

 the pure, dry, and elaftic air of fome parts of 

 Afia, fo hardens the hoofs of horfes, that they 

 are tough enough to endure the ground with 

 very flight, perhaps fometimes without any 

 fhoes, yet the nature of the hoof in that race 

 is eftentially changed by the heavy and moid air 

 of our northern climate, and we find the feet of 

 our horfes, generally tender in proportion to 

 their blood, and tougher as they approach the 

 cart-breed. Mod Cart-horfes are provided, 

 in an ample meafure, with quarters and frogs 

 fufficiently capacious to fupport their weight, 

 and which would for ever do that office in the 

 fulled: manner, were they not conftantly pared 

 down -to make way for an artificial and delufive 



a a 2 fupport 



